Umbrageous Universe
by Pika-Thunder
Summary: Sequel to The X-Virus. After the X-Virus infected tons of people, the world experienced many drastic changes. Most of what people know is completely gone. Hope is extremely limited in a time of darkness. Can the guardians & Tsukiyomis restore the world to how it was before the X-Virus caused devastation, despite enduring their own problems? Dystopian. Some language. All characters.
1. A Shadow Cast

**Please type in X-Virus in the top right corner (on the computer) if you have not read X-Virus. You cannot read this story without reading that, unless you want to be utterly puzzled. Anyway, I am pleased that I am finally able to publish this. I have been extremely excited to write this, and I am happy I had it a day earlier than originally anticipated. Well, just a fair warning that this chapter is already longer than every chapter I've ever written for X-Virus (whoops). Well anyway, I own nothing except for the premises and OCs, and enjoy! You're finally going to learn about what actually happened!**

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People tend to despise change. They prefer to keep their life simple and ordinary. Changing seems like such a hassle. Altering their daily schedule seems appalling. Change is especially unwanted when it is sporadically thrust upon you. Within hours, their ordinary life reverts to a life of chaos and complication. Whether they want to or not, they are forced to change. Their lives are flipped completely upside-down. The X-Virus was what ruined many peoples' lives, and completely changed everything. Change isn't always bad, however, the X-Virus was not exactly beneficial to their lives.

Utter quietness was the first thing Nagihiko Fujisaki noticed when his eyes opened. He blinked a couple of times, revealing the world around him. He could hear nothing, except his movements in his bed. The bed he was lying on did not look familiar. Gradually, he sat up, and got off his bed. When he got to his feet, he felt extremely stiff.

"Where... am I?" He wondered aloud, speaking to no one in particular. He glanced around the room, observing everything around him. The room he was in was fairly simple, with white walls and a brown carpet. Something seemed familiar about it however. When he glanced at the drawer, it occurred to him that he recalled seeing a TV on top of it. He remembered suddenly waking up to find the TV shattered on the ground a while ago. He had been sitting on a chair nearby. Nagihiko turned, seeing the chair in the spot he recalled sitting.

"That's right... The X-Virus... Oh, I must have entered the Berserk Phase." He wondered what happened. Slowly, he exited the room, and went to a room next door the room he was inside. He peered inside, surprised not to find anyone inside. He opened it slightly more, and saw three beds lying on the ground. On a nearby table, there was a picture with Amu, Yaya, and Rima, so Nagihiko speculated this was their room. He could imagine seeing Amu's worried expression, glancing at him. That was the last thing he remembered. It was a blur, but Nagihiko recalled panting heavily, facing all of his friends. They were persistent, asking him if he was alright. Soon after, he recollected feeling an immense pain. It was caused by Gravatus injecting something in him, but what? Gravatus, his father...

Worry passed through Nagihiko, wondering where all of his friends were. He could safely assume they were all staying here, and it didn't take him long enough to realize it was Yukari and Yuu's house. He felt nervous suddenly, hoping that he didn't harm them all during his Berserk Phase. He would never forgive himself if he killed them. However that didn't make sense. Who else would have purified him? Nagihiko walked into the bathroom, and examined himself in the mirror. He looked healthy, to his dismay. It had been so long since he was healthy. A smile crossed his face. He was really okay, probably thanks to Amu. Something then occurred to him.

"Temari? Rhythm?" He inquired, glancing around. There was no response. He reached into his pockets, hopeful to find at least their eggs. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.

He walked down the stairs, hoping to find someone else. It seemed that he was all alone inside the house. He happened to glance at the window, when he noticed the black spots located throughout the city. Curious, he walked closer, examining it from the inside. The city that was normally quite populated only had a few cars driving by. Everything looked so different from normal, especially with the darkness. He saw snow on the ground mixed with darkness. Wait, snow?! Nagihiko was suddenly extremely perplexed; why was there snow?! It was only October! The calendar suddenly became very apparent to Nagihiko. He glanced at it, seeing it said March. March?! How come he didn't remember any time passing from October to March? Suddenly, it dawned on him.

"Oh shit..." Nagihiko murmured, his face paling. How could he have been unconscious for five whole months? He wondered what day it was. He realized that he missed so much; Christmas, New Years, and so many other events he was probably forgetting. The thought of being unconscious for so long did not seem to be easily fathomable. "Oh gosh..." He decided to do some exploration.

He fumbled through a closet full of jackets. He pulled out a random a sweatshirt, probably Ikuto's or Kukai's, and put it on over his clothes that he had been wearing for who knows how long. He stepped outside, and despite seeing the snow, was surprised to find himself shivering. He pulled a hood over his head, and continued walking.

As he walked deeper into the city, he noticed the streets were jammed with people. Although there was a severe lack of cars, there were a plethora of people in tents and yelling. It was almost like some sort of market.

"E-Excuse me." Nagihiko walked over to a woman selling fruit. She smiled, looking relieved to find someone.

"Hello dear! Would you like some fruit? It's only seventy-five cents for three fruits. They're completely fresh and ripe!"

"I was wondering actually if you could tell me the date?" Nagihiko asked politely. The woman's face fell.

"It's the twenty-fifth. Now, could I bother you for some fruit?" It was late March. It all seemed too weird for Nagihiko to comprehend. He stood there for a moment, pondering everything. Five months... What even happened? How could everything change so drastically in a mere five months?!

"Excuse me!" Nagihiko glanced up, recognizing the voice. He smiled softly, noticing the face of the guy with auburn-colored hair. Not once in his life had Nagihiko been so relieved to see Kukai. The woman smiled up at Kukai.

"Hello again! Have you come for some fruit?"

"Yeah, fruits been at a great price her opposed to everywhere else! My friend, well, sister basically, really needs to eat fruit to balance the amount of candy she eats," Kukai explained, scratching the back of his head. Nagihiko sweat dropped, knowing exactly who he was referring to.

"Alright great! Here you go. That would be one dollar." Kukai grabbed a dollar from his pocket, and handed it to the woman. She smiled, and handed him his fruit in a bag.

"Kukai," Nagihiko called, just as he was about to leave. Kukai turned, facing Nagihiko in puzzlement.

"Can I help you- wait, how the hell do you know my name?!" Kukai cocked an eyebrow. Nagihiko suddenly remembered his hood was up. Slowly, he removed his hood, watching Kukai's confusion revert to pure shock. His mouth was hanging open, and he dropped the fruit on the ground.

"Oh, I'll get you some new ones for free," The woman muttered, handing him four extra fruits. Kukai thanked her quickly, and glanced back at Nagihiko.

"Is this a dream?" Kukai wondered, pinching himself.

"I wouldn't be shocked... I mean, it doesn't seem to realistic to wake up to find yourself five months later then what you remember and having the entire world appear different then what you remember." Kukai laughed slightly.

"Oh my god... You must be so freaking confused..."

"You could say that." Kukai smiled, and dragged Nagihiko's arm out of the tent. Once they were outside, Kukai hugged him tightly. Surprised, Nagihiko hugged his friend back.

"Holy shit man, I missed you so much! My god, we weren't even sure you _would _wake up. I'm so glad we were wrong. Oh my god, everyone is going to be so happy! C'mon we have to find Yaya! She's going to flip!" He let go of Nagihiko, and started walking ahead.

"Wait Kukai." Kukai turned, smiling at his friend. "What's even going on? Why is there an entire market outside?"

"I'll explain everything," Kukai promised. "We just have to find Yaya and then head home."

"Where are the others?" Nagihiko asked.

"Well, Utau and Ikuto always tend to randomly disappear and no one really knows where they go. I've tried to ask Utau, but she interrupts me frequently to, um, err, never mind!" Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. Kukai blushed. "Tadase also mentioned he was going somewhere. As for the others, well, Yukari's giving birth today and they went to accompany her!"

"Oh really?" Nagihiko wondered, surprised. Last he remembered, Yukari wasn't very pregnant. Of course, five years was apparently an extremely long time. Everything he knew seemed to be the polar opposite.

"YAYA GOT THE EGGS!" A familiar voice called. Nagihiko and Kukai turned, facing their exuberant friend. Her pigtails bounced up and down, as she jogged over to Kukai holding eggs. She held the eggs in one arm, and performed her usual handshake with Kukai.

"Great!" Kukai grinned.

"Oh my god Yaya, turn around!" Pepe exclaimed. Yaya turned suddenly, and screamed loudly. Nagihiko jumped back, surprised by the loudness of her voice. She stuffed the eggs in Kukai's arms, and glomped Nagihiko tightly. He gently hugged her back.

"NAGI-TAN! YOU'RE AWAKE!" Yaya squealed loudly.

"Yaya-Chan, my ears..." Nagihiko muttered.

"Sorry! Yaya's just so excited! Oh my gosh, everyone is going to be sooo excited! Now not only are you awake, but Ava-Chi is being born! Today is like the best day ever!"

"Ava? Is that the name Sanjou-San and Nikaidou-San are naming their child?" Nagihiko wondered.

"Yup! Isn't it pretty?" Kukai wondered, grinning.

"Yeah it is..."

"Eek! Maybe Tada-Tan won't be so sulky all the time! Utau-Chi and Iku-Tan are going to be so happy too! Kairi-Kun is going to be so happy to have another nerd! Oh, and of course Rimzy-Tan! She'll be sooooo happy!"

"...Rimzy?" Nagihiko inquired.

"Yeah it's our nickname for her! Do you like it?"

"I highly doubt she does..."

"AWW YOU'RE SO DEFENSIVE OF YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" Yaya swooned. Nagihiko blushed slightly. He remembered the last thing he said to her before he passed out and entered Berserk Phase. He had professed his love for her, since he thought he would die and never see her again. A small smile crept across his face. He was alive. He survived the impossible odds. Very soon, he would be reunited with her. That greatly pleased him.

"Let's head back home! We got everything we were sent out to get," Kukai suggested. Yaya nodded, finally letting go of Nagihiko. She grabbed the eggs from Kukai and ran ahead. Kukai laughed, and caught up, dragging Nagihiko's arm with him.

"Kukai!~" Nagihiko moaned, not appreciative of Kukai pulling on his arm.

"Remember when I used to do this every day with you during Seiyo? The good old days!"

"Yeah, I do, and I'm not exactly fond of those memories," Nagihiko murmured. Kukai laughed, ignoring his pain, and running back to the house.

They arrived inside the house, and Kukai and Yaya put away their groceries. Nagihiko sat down on a couch, distinctively remembering contemplating suicide on that exact cushion. He sweat dropped, thinking back to that moment when he was speaking to Utau and the fact Rima convinced him not to. He had felt so sick and the world seemed so groggy like him.

"So... On a scale of one to ten, how confused are you?" Kukai asked, sitting beside Nagihiko. He chuckled slightly.

"I'd say it's off the charts," He admitted.

"I suppose it's my job to tell you what's going on. Yaya, care to join us and help me explain everything?" Yaya sat beside Kukai.

"What are you telling Nagi-Tan?" Yaya asked curiously.

"Well, everything. Basically, what's going on with the world," Kukai explained to Yaya. She nodded, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Well, I suppose it's best to start at the beginning." Kukai cleared his throat, and sighed. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Well, it's extremely blurred in my mind, but I recall Gravatus injecting some sort of needle within me, and Amu taking care of me or something... the details are pretty vague. More vividly, I remember the moments following my Berserk Phase, saying goodbye to you, Rima-Chan, and others..."

"That's a good place to begin. So, yeah, after you kissed Rima, you vanished, like, poof." Kukai made a sound effect to emphasize his point. Involuntarily, Nagihiko smiled softly, remembering that kiss, despite it being the last time he thought he would see her."None of us were too surprised, since it happened before. So, we all made plans to leave since we needed to find you. Someone, I think Ikuto, suggested to check Easter. The savvy six, then, went to Easter."

"IT WAS THE POWER OF SIX," Yaya interjected.

"Oh whatever!" Kukai whined. "Fine, Yaya, Utau, Amu, Rima, Kairi, and me. Savvy six or power of six. Same idea!"

"Go on," Nagihiko told him.

"Right! Anyway, so when we went inside, we were immediately confronted with Gravatus and you. Suddenly, Amu's humpty lock magically floated up and revealed some power thing that allowed Dia to hatch again, along with Daichi and Kusu-Kusu. Kiseki and Yoru hatched too, and Tadase and Ikuto later joined us. Well anyway, we fought for a while, pretty much unsuccessful. Oh yeah during that fight, we found out that the only reason Gravatus distributed the X-Virus was so his brother, Aruto could notice. That's why he initially captured Ikuto, but then he found his son, you, and he got tempted, so you were the ultimate plan." Nagihiko thought for a moment.

"So basically... I nearly died and was in some darkened state- just so Gravatus could meet his brother again?!" Nagihiko slowly analyzed.

"Basically. Isn't he such a bastard? Well, Utau and Ikuto had the same reaction as you, and they were completely astonished. Meanwhile, as Gravatus was explaining his insane motivations, Kairi and Rima developed some weird plan involving a control panel. Ikuto had mentioned something about a control panel at some point, and the two decided that if they destroyed it, you would be weakened and Amu can purify you! So, Rima tied up Gravatus with her ropes, and went to find said control panel."

"Was she successful?" Nagihiko asked.

"Shh! Wait for us to get there!" Kukai hissed. Nagihiko held up his hands in innocence. "Well, actually I passed out around now and everything that happened I was told later, so you mind explaining Yaya?" Yaya sat up, and nodded.

"Yay! Okay, so when Rimzy-Tan went to destroy the control panel, she ran into Berserk Phased Saaya and cronies. She tied them up in order to find the control panel, but then Gravatus broke out of his ropes, and grabbed Rimzy. She was put on some screen for all of us to watch, well except for Kukai who passed out. Gravatus held a gun to her head, and threatened to shoot her if we didn't surrender!"

"You sound way too happy about that..." Nagihiko pointed out.

"You should know Yaya by now; she's extremely upbeat!" Yaya grinned, and then continued. "Anyway, so basically, it was a decision between Rima-Tan's life against yours, since no one could stop you, and you would release too much X-Energy."

"Apparently, you exerted so much X-Energy that it was the size of a house!" Kukai exclaimed. "It would have killed you within the hour!"

"Actually, Gravatus said the size of Nagi-Tan's house, which is like enormous!" Nagihiko's face paled. It shocked him how close he was to dying.

"So... What did you guys do?"

"For some reason, we made it Amu's decision between you, although I was still out so it wasn't my idea. Gravatus was counting down, and then Rima shot one of her juggling pins at the control panel and then boom, it exploded."

"HEY YAYA WAS EXPLAINING THAT PART!" Yaya whined loudly.

"Sorry!" Kukai whined. "Do you want to continue?"

"Nah, keep going Kukai!" Kukai grinned, and turned back to Nagihiko.

"Well, anyway, after Rima destroyed the control panel, Gravatus was absolutely pissed, from what I hear. Unfortunately, breaking the control panel had no effect on you though, and you pestered on, attacking Amu, who I forgot to mention transformed with Dia. So, Saaya and the cronies returned, and since Amu was too preoccupied with you, we were deciding if one of us should purify them." Kukai began to laugh. "Utau was saying she should, even though she already tried once and failed. So, Rima pointed out she purified X-Eggs once with you, and Tadase said, and I quote, 'I did it once with Amu," Kukai burst into hysterical laughter, and it took a minute to compose himself. "I just woke up, and I obviously made a that's what he said joke." Nagihiko rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, Utau was able to purify them successfully, since she's amazing. We all continued to attack you, but everything we did failed. We were all convinced we wouldn't be able to do anything, especially since Gravatus came to taunt us. However, you began getting really weak and unable to do much. We were concerned for your survival. So, without anything to lose, Amu purified you and voila, you're healthy!"

"It couldn't have been that simple... What about outside?" Nagihiko wondered, gesturing to the window. Kukai's grin subsided immediately.

"Well, the truth is..." His voice trailed off, as the door to the house began opening.

"Who is it?!" Yaya wondered excitedly. She stood up, and bounced up and down energetically. "Maybe Ava-Chi was born! Kairi-Kun could be home! EEK!"

"They're still dating by the way," Kukai explained. "So are Utau and I, and don't worry, Rima hasn't cheated. However, regarding Amu and Tadase..." The door swung opened, revealing Amu and Rima. Amu's pink hair was clipped back nicely and she wore a long-sleeved white top. She wore a pink mini skirt with white leggings.

"Mini-skirt Amu? Were you just asking for Ikuto to flirt?" Kukai teased.

"I said the same thing!" Rima pointed out. Her blonde hair was placed in two neat pigtails. She wore a lavender shirt with jeans. Nagihiko felt his heart begin beating rapidly, nervous for their reactions to him, specifically Rima.

"So, was she born?!" Yaya exclaimed, bouncing up and down. Rima turned to her.

"Yeah, she was! She's actually really-" Rima froze, upon seeing Nagihiko. She dropped her bag onto her feet, cringing slightly in pain. She stared at him, her mouth dropping open.

"Y-Y-Y-You..."

"What's up?" Amu wondered, completely oblivious to Nagihiko's presence. Rima slowly lifted her finger, pointing at him. Amu followed her finger, and stumbled backward.

"AH! NAGI!" Amu squealed, running toward him. Nagihiko, glancing up at Amu, hugged her, expecting a hug from her as he received from everyone else so far. She returned his hug. "Oh my god you're awake! I can't believe it! I-I'm so happy!" She let go of him, and smiled kindly. "I, we missed you so much!"

"It's nice to see you Amu-Chan," Nagihiko told her, smiling.

"Y-You can speak..." Nagihiko turned to the petite blonde and smiled.

"Yes Rima-Chan, I believe that is the purpose of a larynx," Nagihiko teased. Rima's utter bemusement slowly reverted to a large smile, one that Nagihiko had only seen during her character changes. Kusu-Kusu giggled quietly.

"I missed your teasing. Oh my god, I... I-I'm sorry I just... I wasn't expecting this at all, I-I'm happy of course, I-I just..."

"I would be surprised too if someone I knew woke up after being unconscious for five months." Rima slowly walked toward him, and like everyone else, hugged him, although much gentler than the other three. Blushing slightly, Nagihiko hugged her back, leaving the other three to watch them awkwardly.

"Five months... it seems so long... I missed you Nagi," Rima whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I can't quite say I missed you since I don't remember being in a coma, but I'm definitely happy to be with you again, now that I'm healthy." Rima smiled.

"That's right! We survived the X-Virus, and we can actually be a real couple." Nagihiko held her tighter. "Unfortunately, everything sucks outside, but at least we have each other fully healthy."

"Kukai was just explaining everything that I missed," Nagihiko pointed out. Rima let go of him, and turned to Kukai. She stayed sitting comfortably on Nagihiko's lap, leaving his face to be as red as a tomato. Yaya and Kukai snickered at his facial expression. He shyly wrapped his arms around Rima, who appeared to be as happy as a little girl eating candy (hence, Yaya).

"Oh sounds like fun," Amu muttered sarcastically. "Wow Nagi, you must have been so confused when you woke up."

"I was," Nagihiko admitted. "I honestly had no idea where I even was... The idea that I was out for five months just seems so incomprehensible."

"It's hard for even us to believe!" Yaya exclaimed. "Yet it seems like _years _you've been out!"

"...Sorry?"

"Well Yaya, time doesn't exactly fly when the world around you falls apart," Rima pointed out.

"Nagi is still confused, so I'm going to finish! Amu, you were the one who purified him, so do you want to finish explaining?"

"Where did you leave off?" Amu asked.

"I just explained that you purified him and I was getting to what's actually going on," Kukai explained. Amu turned to Nagihiko, and sighed.

"Before we get to that, I'll explain what happened exactly when I purified you. So basically, I was floating with Dia, who had re-hatched as Kukai probably explained. She answered all of the questions we had. The prophecy was everything we guessed: Ikuto was the catalyst, Kairi and Yaya were the eternal love, you were the obstacle, and I was the person who could save the world from 'incoming darkness,' which is all of this. The reason I was immune and able to purify was because I had already been infected with the X-Virus, well, an early strain. Remember Ikuto's Death Rebel? When I hugged him that time, it got me infected with a minor version, and I built up immunity." Nagihiko nodded slowly.

"Cut to the chase. He's probably curious about what truly resulted," Rima muttered, leaning back onto him. Nagihiko found it difficult to lie that he was mostly interested about what exactly happened. All four of them exchanged glances, deciding who should tell him. Amu sighed, conceding to telling him. She turned to him, and sighed.

"As you could have probably guessed, the darkness surrounding the world is X-Energy. It was released from everyone's Berserk Phases, mostly yours. It was Gravatus's ultimate plan to attract his brother. This X-Virus infected not only people in Japan, but it went globally. Overall, the infection rates were outstanding, nearly surpassing that of HIV. Fortunately, the death toll wasn't too high. Well, the result from everyone exerting X-Energy was the growth of this. You may recall Gravatus injecting you with X-Energy before you fell unconscious for five months. Throughout the first portion of your coma, X-Energy flowed out of you, further preserving the darkness in the world. This Virus devastated the world, as you could tell from the markets. Money and resources are scarce. It is extremely dangerous to go outside now. People are advised not to leave unless it is for shopping or something important, hence why we are living here instead of with our parents. We have visited our parents briefly, but it has to be extremely limited. The entire world is...a terrible place to live now." Nagihiko didn't say anything for a while. He couldn't think of anything that would ease the situation. They were all caught up in a dire world.

"Gravatus... Have you seen him at all?" It seemed like a dumb response to realizing his life turned upside-down, but he was at a loss of anything better.

"Not since your Berserk Phase," Rima explained. "He has been in hiding, but from what we know, Aruto still has not returned." Nagihiko nodded slowly, still in disbelief. He turned his head and glanced out the window. Everything was so different, and it was mostly his fault.

"So, back to baby! Ava was born?" Kukai asked, breaking the silence. Amu and Rima turned to him, and nodded. Rima moved off of Nagihiko's lap and sat beside him instead, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah! She's so cute!" Amu exclaimed. "Rima, you have the picture on your phone right?" Rima nodded, pulling out her phone and glancing through the photos.

"This is her," Rima whispered, holding up her phone. Nagihiko turned back to the others, and glanced at the image on Rima's phone.

"OH MY GOD SHE'S ADORABLE!" Yaya squealed. "She has cute little freckles!"

"Look at how her skin looks!" Kukai pointed out. "It's so red and eek!" He looked up at Amu and Rima and smirked for a moment. "I assume you guys weren't there for the birth?"

"EW!" Amu exclaimed. Rima's eyes widened. "No, yuck! We were actually outside, acting as support for Kairi. Gosh, you should have seen the look on his face. He was so nervous!"

"Yukari was screaming really loudly," Rima pointed out. "It was echoing throughout the entire hospital."

"Aw Kairi-Kun! Is he still with them?" Yaya asked.

"Yup," Amu told her. The door swung open again, revealing Tadase. Amu smiled up at him, but he completely ignored her glance. Amu's smile faded almost immediately. Nagihiko glanced up at him, noticing a huge gash on his cheek.

"Tadase, what's on your cheek?" Rima asked.

"N-Nothing," He admitted. "I tripped and fell, but it doesn't hurt." Nagihiko knew for sure that he was lying.

"What really happened?" All eyes turned to Nagihiko, Tadase's eyes widening immediately. A smile crossed on his face.

"Nagihiko!" Tadase exclaimed. "It's great to see you finally awake! Oh, I hope you don't mind if I refer to you so informally; I've been starting to call people by their names." Rima snorted loudly, elbowing Amu. Tadase lowered his eyes.

"Of course I don't mind, Hotori-San, err, Tadase. We've been friends for so long, so it seems weird that we even do that in the first place," Nagihiko smiled, although it didn't match his inside. Tadase smiled back, and turned to the girl beside him.

"Is she born?" Tadase asked.

"Mhm. This is a picture." Rima held up her phone to Tadase.

"She's so cute!" Tadase exclaimed. At that moment, Rima's phone started to ring. She turned it back to her, and picked it up.

"Hello?" Rima asked into the phone. There was silence for a moment, speaking from the other end. "Okay great! Tell them I say hi. Oh, and also Nagi's awake!" Rima smiled, moving her phone to her other hand and slipping her arm through his. Rima hung up the phone, and put it away. "That was Kairi. Ikuto and Utau are giving him a ride home and Yukari and Yuu are staying at the hospital a bit longer with Ava."

"YAY KAIRI-KUN!" Yaya screamed.

"Finally! It'll be great to see the Tsukiyomi siblings! So, any more questions?" Kukai turned to Nagihiko. "Anything else you are curious about?"

"Do any of you have any idea where my charas are?" Nagihiko asked.

"No..." Amu admitted. "I'm sure you'll get them back soon though; it took Rima and Kukai a bit, and Tadase and Ikuto even less time." The door began opening again, revealing Kairi and the Tsukiyomi siblings.

"OHMIGOSH KAIRI! YOU'RE AN UNCLE!" Yaya sprung off of the couch, and hugged him tightly. Kairi smiled to Nagihiko's dismay and hugged her back.

"It seems quite unfathomable, but I suppose that being an uncle is reality now. I am quite pleased Ava turned out healthy." Kairi let go of Yaya, and smiled at Nagihiko. "I am quite pleased to see you conscious Nagihiko-San."

"Thanks... Congratulations regarding Ava by the way," Nagihiko told him.

"Thank you, although it was my sister that endured the most throughout the course of the pregnancy."

"Nice to see you Fujisaki." Nagihiko turned to the Tsukiyomi siblings, and smiled at them. Tadase frowned.

"Aw cousinly love!~" Yaya squealed. Nagihiko remembered that aspect suddenly.

"Can we talk to you?" Ikuto wondered. Nagihiko nodded, sliding his arm out of Rima's. Rima picked her head up, and watched as he stood up and walked toward them.

"HEY UTAU! YOU DIDN'T EVEN GIVE ME A HELLO!" Kukai yelled. Utau acknowledged his presence and rolled her eyes. Ikuto turned to Amu and winked seductively at her, making her face turn as red as a tomato. Nagihiko glanced at Tadase for a moment, who looked ready to explode. He pitied Tadase, since it seemed extremely evident that Amu and Ikuto were actually a couple now. Ikuto and Utau led Nagihiko away from everyone else.

"What's up?" Nagihiko asked, turning to them.

"Did the others explain everything?" Utau asked suddenly.

"Yeah, they did..." He admitted.

"Fujisaki, we just wanted to say, if you need anything, you can talk to us. It must be stressful waking up after this long, so come talk to us if necessary. We're family." Nagihiko smiled, although the entire thing seemed odd coming from them.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," He told them. They smiled softly, seeming really odd to Nagihiko. Maybe family was important to them and finding their cousin seemed special? "The others mentioned that Gravatus planned this whole entire thing for your father to find. Do you know if he has?" The two of them glanced at each other, and sighed.

"I've asked Tsukasa, but he doesn't really know," Ikuto admitted. "We'll just have to wait and see, just like everything else."

"I hope he comes. He'll be able to stop this. This...This terrible place. It has ruined _everything_. Damn Gravatus, and his stupid plans."

"I highly doubt the others would just give up. Have you met your boyfriend?" Utau crossed her arms, and sighed.

"I'm pretty sure even he doubts there's a way out of this. It's been five months and there is no sign of hope. We're all just doing everything we can to survive," Utau muttered.

"Maybe not all hope is gone..." Both of them turned to Ikuto. "Well, you survived impossible odds Fujisaki. Ava was born in this world. Maybe not everything is doomed."

"Well, we should get going." Utau and Ikuto turned to each other and sighed. They faced Nagihiko. "Remember, talk to us about anything. I know you never really had a secure family at home, so feel free to be with us."

"Thank you... Where are you guys going anyway?"

"We're just going out for a bit," Utau said quickly. Nagihiko knew that wasn't the full truth, but he decided to drop it. He smiled.

"See you two later!" The three of them walked towards everyone else, and the Tsukiyomis exited the house.

"What did they tell you?" Nagihiko turned, facing Tadase.

"Not much really, they were just being friendly..." Nagihiko pointed out.

"I know you're their cousin, but family doesn't mean trust with them." Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. "Don't trust them Nagihiko, even if they tell you that you are important because you're family. They are completely arrogant; they could care less about anyone except themselves. They're just using you." Tadase walked away after that. Nagihiko watched him walk away, completely flabbergasted. He knew that there was a lot that occurred between Tadase and the Tsukiyomis, but from last he remembered, they were beginning to restore their past. Clearly, something completely backfired, and Amu's relationship with Ikuto probably had some connection.

"Hey Nagi!" He turned, facing Kukai. "Did Utau say anything before she left, about where she's going?"

"She said she's going out somewhere with Ikuto, meaning she's clearly hiding something," Nagihiko observed.

"They've been so mysterious lately..." Amu sighed. "I hope they're okay. Oh Nagi, want some dinner? Su makes an amazing chicken!" Su floated up, grinning.

"Oh okay, thanks." Amu character changed with Su, and began cooking really rapidly. While they were cooking, Nagihiko turned to the other four. Yaya was on top of Kairi's back, clearly not Kairi's choice. Yet, Kairi seemed extremely happy, due to the birth of his niece. Rima was sitting on the couch, brushing her hair neatly. She had removed the pigtails. Kukai was still glancing over at Nagihiko. He sat beside Rima, making her glance up and smile at him.

"What exactly happened between Amu-Chan and Tadase?" Nagihiko asked quietly.

"I don't really know," Rima admitted. "Well, her and Ikuto are finally official, making Tadase pretty envious. Amu tried to preserve their friendship, but Tadase doesn't like that."

"They're crazy!" Kukai pointed out. "That's why I like a normal romance."

"Kukai, you're dating a girl who randomly disappears everyday," Yaya pointed out. "Look at us for a normal relationship!"

"Yaya-Chan, I am pretty sure you are the sole reason that our relationship is not quite ordinary," Kairi deduced. Yaya grinned mischievously.

"Dinner's ready!" Amu announced, ending her character change. "Does someone want to get Tadase?"

"SHOT NOT!" Both Yaya and Kukai put their fingers on their noses. Nagihiko watched them, rolling his eyes. Rima cocked her eyebrow, and faced the stairs.

"Tadase, dinner's ready," Rima called to him.

"Rimzy-Tan, that was _so_ quiet! Here, like this: TADA-TAN DINNER!" Yaya screamed. A few seconds later, Tadase descended from the stairs. He smiled at everyone, with the exception of Amu. Everyone made their way to the dinner table, and began eating the food Amu prepared.

"Wow Amu-Chi! You haven't made chicken like this since Valentine's Day!" Yaya exclaimed. Nagihiko ate the chicken, observing the taste of it.

"Don't remind me of that terrible holiday," Rima muttered, shuddering. Nagihiko glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, feeling guilty that she was probably the only one, besides Tadase, who wasn't able to spend the holiday with anyone. He knew she must have hated the day because of her parents, and it must have been worse that her boyfriend was in a coma. Nagihiko knew he would be upset if Rima had been in a coma during Valentine's Day.

"Yummy yummy!" Kukai announced with food in his mouth. He patted his stomach. Amu beamed. After finishing, Tadase took his plate and washed it.

"Thanks Tadase-Kun!" Amu called to him. He merely grunted, and walked away. Amu's eyes lowered. "I try so hard just to be his friend..."

"Don't worry about him," Kukai pointed out. "Yaya and I will confront him at some point. I mean, I'm not Nagi, but I can clearly tell he's hiding something."

"That gash is quite suspicious," Rima agreed.

"Well, today's been a great day!" Yaya pointed out.

"It's difficult to come across those," Rima murmured quietly, only Nagihiko hearing her.

"Yeah! Nagi is finally awake!" Kukai messed up his hair. He sighed, smiling at Kukai. Yaya grabbed another piece of chicken before going to hug Nagihiko again.

"AND BABY AVA-CHI!" Yaya squealed. "Yaya cannot wait to meet her!~" Pepe floated up beside her, grinning. Kairi smiled softly.

"Halt everyone!" Everyone faced Kukai. "Nagihiko Fujisaki. There is something that is required to be done." Nagihiko cocked his head to the side, as he lifted his plate. "BASKETBALL!" He laughed slightly, washing the dish.

"It has been a while," Nagihiko pointed out, smirking at Kukai.

"You kiddos have fun!" Yaya pointed out. "Kairi-Kun and Yaya are going to hang out!" Before Kairi could protest, Yaya dragged his arm. Amu and Rima turned to each other, and smiled. Kukai dragged Nagihiko's arm, and ran outside, leaving Nagihiko shivering in the snow without a jacket.

* * *

The waters were a mixture of blue and black. They were especially rough, despite the tranquil weather. The waves rocked the boat back and forth. However, Aruto was determined. Him and his crew had been stuck on an island for months, and now their boat had just been rediscovered.

"Sir, are you sure this is safe?" A sailor asked, concerned.

"Safety isn't the concern. We must keep pushing forward. This darkness... I can only guess it is X-Energy. Easter has come back...but why?"

"How close are we?" Another sailor asked. "I'm getting sea sick."

"I can see the land now. It should only be a few minutes," Aruto reassured. It turned out he was correct. The ship pressed on, going at an unsafe speed. Finally, they reached land.

"We are here," Aruto announced. He climbed down a ladder, and latched the anchor onto a pole. The crewmen hopped off, admiring the land around them.

* * *

Aruto's thick black hair matched the X-Energy around. His hair was unique, with strands of dark blue within it, the color his son inherited. It was a mystery to why his daughter had blonde hair. Aruto was a handsome man. Of his family, including his mother, father, and brother, he stood out as being attractive. His mother and father were completely messed up. His brother could have been sane, if Aruto had stayed. However, he was the most insane of them all. The darkness of the world lit up underneath the shining moon. Gravatus laughed, watching the world from his balcony at the beach. He could see Aruto exiting the ship, examining the surroundings.

"Soon big brother; I will face you soon. However, I still have some final things to prepare." Gravatus turned around, and laughed menacingly.

* * *

**Well, I hope you enjoyed the very first chapter! Similarly to the first chapter of X-Virus, a ton of hints for future events were dropped. I hope you enjoyed Nagi waking up finally! I wanted to include much more RimaHiko, but I was afraid I would make it too fluffy. You'll have to wait and see for the fluff. Please review/alert/favorite!**


	2. At The Playground

**Finally, the next chapter is up. Once again, I own nothing, including the song at the beginning (Yesterday by the Beatles. I just found it really applicable to the story), and enjoy!**

* * *

_Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away_

_Now it looks as though they're here to stay_

_Oh, I believe in yesterday  
_

_Suddenly I'm not half the man I used to be_

_There's a shadow hanging over me_

_Oh, yesterday came suddenly_

* * *

The morning seemed to be dull and gray. The weather matched the emotions felt amongst the entire city. It seemed like such a slow moving day, despite the day having been barely begun. It wasn't even six in the morning, when there was a knock on the door. Nagihiko, having not been able to sleep, got up and went downstairs to get the door. Why would somebody be at the door so early?

"Nagihiko-San, I'll get it. It's my sister and Yuu, with Ava," Kairi informed him, getting to the door before him. The happiness within Kairi could not be contained. He was thrilled that his niece would be home now. Yes, he was extremely nervous, but excitement filled him as well. Kairi turned the doorknob, allowing for the couple to enter, both of them looking exhausted. Yuu held Ava firmly in his arms, gently cradling her. Ava's eyes were chocolate-brown and she seemed to have orange hair beginning to grow, resembling Yuu's color. Yukari watched intently, not trusting her husband.

"Yuu! Support the head!" Yukari screeched.

"I am!" Yuu whined. Nagihiko and Kairi sweat dropped. Both of them glanced up, smiling. "Oh Fujisaki-Kun?! No one mentioned you woke up..."

"You just had your first child; that should be your major concern. Congratulations by the way."

"Thank you," Yukari smiled. "Giving birth was totally not fun. However, it produced this child. Ava Nadine Nikaijou."

"Nikaijou?" Kairi inquired. "You mixed your names?" Yukari nodded, smiling.

"Isn't that awesome? Well, since we didn't change either of our last names, we were in a debate for what would Ava's last name be. That's when we decided on Nikaijou." Nagihiko felt like he was intruding on them.

"Well, why don't we head up and show Ava her nursery?" The couple headed upstairs, leaving Kairi and Nagihiko to remain downstairs.

"She's adorable," Nagihiko exclaimed, facing Kairi.

"Yeah, she is..." Kairi agreed. "I am simply concerned about them though. Both of them tend to be puzzled when it comes to certain areas, and I am worried. I also just..." Nagihiko waited for Kairi to finish. He took a deep breath. "Not only do Yukari and Yuu have no experience in raising a child, but she is born in a time where life...is inauspicious and the world appears grim."

"Yukari nor Yuu could have predicted it," Nagihiko tried to reassure. "Not only was Yukari's pregnancy a mistake, but who knew this would happen?"

"Gravatus," Kairi murmured. Nagihiko sighed.

"Look, Yukari and Yuu are so happy now. Don't ruin it. Let them focus on the happier moments of current life."

"You're right..." Kairi sighed. "I apologize for my pessimistic behavior. I suppose it is merely a side-effect of my concerns of everything."

"I understand," Nagihiko told him. "Honestly, I haven't completely fathomed everything yet. I understand what happened, but I just can't process it. One day, I'm really sick, and the next...this. I can't be pessimistic if I'm still in disbelief." Kairi chuckled slightly.

"This is not quite the world one would desire to wake up in out of the blue," Kairi pointed out. Nagihiko nodded, glancing out the window.

"YAYA HEARD THE DOOR! AVA-CHI?!"

"Shh, most people are still asleep," Kairi scolded. Yaya hopped down a couple of stairs, and landed on the ground. He turned to Nagihiko momentarily. "At least there are still those like her and Souma-Kun." Nagihiko nodded in agreement.

"Well, they should wake up! Ava-Chi is here! WHERE IS BABY?! YAYA WANTS TO SEE HER."

"Yaya, I thought you hated other children?" Nagihiko wondered.

"As long as they don't compete with Yaya for attention! Yaya doesn't need Yukari-Tan or Nikai-Tan's attention, so she's not jealous! It was different with Tsubasa." Yaya sighed, a melancholic expression forming on her face. "But... Yaya wouldn't be jealous of Tsubasa if he was here, because Yaya misses him..." Kairi walked over to her, and put his arm around her comfortingly. Nagihiko glanced up at them, remembering how awkward they were when they first got together. He felt bad for bringing up the situation with Tsubasa.

"Aloha!" The three of them glanced up, and a small smile crossed Yaya's face. Kukai grinned, descending down the steps. "I need coffee." He walked over to the coffee machine, and began making himself some coffee. "Yaya, you need?"

"Yaya already had," Yaya pointed out, wrapping her arms around Kairi's waist. Kukai drank his cup of coffee in a matter of seconds, the cup completely empty.

"...Kukai!" Nagihiko exclaimed, absolutely horrified. Kukai laughed, and patted Nagihiko's head.

"A guy needs his coffee," Kukai stated.

"So does Yaya!" Yaya whined. "Sexist!"

"It wasn't sexist! It just...whatever!" Kukai faced Nagihiko, and grinned. "So, how did you sleep, cheater?" Nagihiko rolled his eyes.

"Kukai, just because I beat you at basketball, doesn't mean I cheated."

"You haven't played for five months though! Longer because of the X-Virus! I've been playing alone, well, sometimes Tadase or Yaya, but neither of them are too great..."

"HEY!" Yaya exclaimed loudly. Kukai held up his hands in innocence.

"Well, back to my initial question: how did you sleep?"

"Alright," Nagihiko lied.

"WOOHOO! YAYA STILL WANTS TO SEE AVA-CHI!"

"AVA'S BACK?!" Yaya nodded vigorously.

"Good morning," Yaya shrieked, turning around rapidly. Rima stood behind her, surrounded by a blanket. She held a stuffed teddy bear, and spun it around.

"Rima-Tan?! When did you get there?!" Yaya exclaimed.

"Just now," She replied.

"Um... Why are you holding a teddy bear?" Kukai asked.

"It's Amu's. She always hugs it really tightly at night. I wanted to see her reaction to when she wakes up without it." Nagihiko raised an eyebrow.

"You stole it from her while she was sleeping?!" Kairi exclaimed.

"Mhm. Problem?" Kairi gave her a questioning look. Rima chuckled, and made her way into the kitchen to get tea.

"Where are the charas anyway?" Kukai wondered.

"Musashi mentioned something about Kiseki holding some meeting, or whatever," Kairi pointed out. Kukai sweat dropped.

"Oh hey Rima; it's your turn to get the groceries today!" Kukai pointed out.

"Ugh, fine... I'll get dressed..." Holding her tea, Rima made her way back up the stairs to change into clothing. It didn't take her too long to change. She came back downstairs, her blonde hair combed back neatly. She wore a black plaid shirt and jeans. She turned to Nagihiko, and smiled softly. He returned the smile.

"Oh Rima! Here's the grocery list." Kukai handed her the list. Rima read through it, sighing.

"This is _so_ long. Didn't you or Yaya do any shopping yesterday?" Rima wondered.

"Hey, we got distracted," Kukai pointed out, motioning toward Nagihiko. Rima glanced up at him for a moment.

"Hey Nagi, want to join me for the shopping? I can show you the best stores we go to, or whatever."

"Sure, that sounds great."

"Ooh date time!" Kukai and Yaya teased. The two of them blushed, and grabbed coats before exiting the house. Right before they exited, Nagihiko noticed Utau walk downstairs and place some money on the counter. She smiled up at him, before quickly walking away. Nagihiko watched suspiciously, before turning back to Rima and leaving the house.

"So, this is what we need..." Rima took out the list, and read through it. She used her remaining hand to intertwine with Nagihiko's. He gladly allowed her to, squeezing her fingers gingerly.

"It looks like a lot of the items are checked off," Nagihiko observed.

"Oh good... This shouldn't take too long. I'll show you around," Rima told him, leading him toward the large market. She showed him an abundance of stores, and purchased items from each of them according to the list.

"That looks like everything," Nagihiko noticed.

"Fortunately. Hey Nagi, can I show you something? We can drop off the groceries first."

"Oh, of course." Still hand in hand, they walked back to Yukari and Yuu's place. They dropped off everything, and then quickly left again.

* * *

"See you all later," Ikuto and Utau announced. Amu, Tadase, and Kukai glanced up, surprised by their sudden departure. Yaya and Kairi were with Yukari and Yuu, taking care of Ava in a different room.

"Where are you two even going?" Kukai asked.

"Just out for a little bit. I'm fully capable of myself Souma; don't need to worry." Utau walked toward him, and kissed him. Their kiss lasted for a few minutes, and was a bit more than a simple kiss. Kukai's heart began racing, as her lips pressed roughly against his. They collapsed on the couch, without breaking for even a second. Kukai's thoughts of suspicion were immediately forgotten.

"Utau, we don't have much time," Ikuto announced, rushing her. Utau separated from him, giving him an almost saddened expression. Kukai watched, as Utau tied her fur coat tightly with a belt, and followed Ikuto out of the house.

"Oh, um, bye Ikuto!" Amu called. To her dismay and Tadase's happiness, he didn't respond. Kukai raised an eyebrow. The three of them exchanged glances, one of the first times in a while Tadase and Amu glanced at each other.

* * *

"Rima-Chan, where exactly are you taking me?" Nagihiko asked, turning toward her.

"Just somewhere private," She told him, eagerly leading him to the opposite direction of the park. He followed, still slightly confused. They arrived at an abandoned playground. Everything was still perfectly in order, containing swings, slides, and many other structures kids played on.

"I remember this playground... I used to come here often after my dance practices as a break," Nagihiko recalled. He glanced toward the adjacent basketball court. "I used to come to play basketball here in hiding, even when I wasn't supposed to."

"You're so rebellious, breaking the rules and all," Rima teased. He smiled at her.

"That's me; defying the rules." She giggled slightly. Nagihiko could practically feel the awkward tension between them. Last he remembered, he was completely convinced he would die and he told her he loved her. He had no idea what she had felt while he was unconscious. No doubt she is still in shock that he is awake.

"Hey, um, want to sit somewhere?" Rima murmured quietly.

"Oh yeah, um, sure..." Rima climbed one of the kiddy ladders up to the highest portion of the playground. He watched her, noticing how closely she resembled a little girl. Rima looked so young, yet she endured so much more than an average teenager should face. Although she looked like a perfectly-made doll, Nagihiko saw her as much more than just that.

"Nagi, are you coming?" Nagihiko snapped out of his trance and nodded, swiftly climbing up the ladder. Nagihiko enjoyed climbing things in his free time. He sat beside Rima, the silence becoming unbearable.

"Rima-Chan, how come you chose this place, opposed to anywhere else?" Nagihiko asked. She glanced away from him, blushing.

"W-Well, the truth is, Kukai and Utau go here sometimes to, well, make-out," Rima admitted. Nagihiko eyes widened, wondering what Rima's intentions were for bringing him here. "Oh no don't get the wrong idea! I wasn't trying to make-out with you. I wanted somewhere private and this was the first place I thought of..."

"Oh, it's okay. I-I wouldn't mind if... Okay, I'm just going to shut up now." Rima chuckled slightly, her cheeks tinted with pink. Nagihiko felt extremely nervous all of a sudden. His heart was racing and he could feel sweat coming down his neck. It was fairly obvious Rima felt the same way. The truth was, they had not been together for that long. Nagihiko only accidentally confessed to her when he kissed her thanks to Rhythm. That was the only positive result that occurred from that incident. Ever since then, their relationship progressed rapidly, since they both believed in their inevitable deaths. Now, they were both alive in an unpromising world, and the rapid pace of their relationship was just catching up on them. Also, it had been a long time since Rima saw him in a conscious state.

Rima took a deep breath before speaking. "I apologize about the awkwardness..."

"No, it's not a problem," Nagihiko reassured. "I understand. I mean, it's been a while..." Rima sighed, and hugged her knees close to her chest.

"There are no words that could be used to describe my happiness that you're awake. I wasn't even sure you _would_ wake up. It was just such a relief." She moved closer to him, and Nagihiko shyly placed his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm glad I can be awake with you," He whispered, massaging her shoulder. She sighed again, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know this might sound stupid, but I felt really...lonely without you. Yeah, I was surrounded by the others, and I couldn't be happier to be separated from my parents, but it wasn't the same without you. They all had each other and they were all dating, with the exception of Tadase, but he was too attached to Amu. I know I had you as well, but it just hurt that they could all be so happy with their respective boyfriend or girlfriend, and mine was out..."

"I'm sorry," He whispered, feeling a pang of guilt.

"It wasn't your fault of course," Rima pointed out, curling closer to him.

"Technically, it was my fault I received the X-Virus in the first place," Nagihiko observed.

"Well, in all technicalities, you kissed me to receive the X-Virus. If I had not been infected, none of this would have happened..."

"No, you can't blame yourself."

"Nor can you. Nor Rhythm. Gravatus would have gotten you infected regardless if you hadn't kissed me."

"That's probably true. At least the way I got infected was...enjoyable." He blushed after saying that. Rima faced him for a moment. He turned to her as well, and caressed her cheek.

"Nagi, before I entered my Berserk Phase, we said we'd date officially after everything was all over. Although everything isn't even close to over, we are both cured, so..."

"I wouldn't mind cutting to the chase," He whispered. "I mean, we already are sort of dating, so why not officially call ourselves a couple?" He could feel his cheeks reddening, and he saw the giant blush forming on Rima.

"Sounds good. We already were basically there, but it feels good to officially admit it."

"Besides," Nagihiko smiled at her. "we never actually went on a date so far. This can be counted as our very first date." She chuckled slightly.

"Cool..." They glanced at each other, and started leaning in towards each other. Their noses touched, and they could feel their breaths on each other. "Nagi, I'm not going to lie. I missed this while you were out." He chuckled lightly, and began to remove the gap between their lips.

"GUYS WE NEED TO FOLLOW UTAU AND IKUTO!" The couple froze, inches away from each other. Kukai's booming voice was not exactly what either of them wanted to hear at that moment. Slowly, they separated, glancing up at Kukai, Tadase, and Amu. Both of their faces were bright red.

"Why?" Rima muttered, sighing. She stood up, sighing.

"They just left, and we know basically where they are!" Kukai pointed out.

"Tadase, why are you here?" Nagihiko wondered, remembering Tadase's warning about the siblings.

"They were like siblings to me... I don't trust them exactly, but of course I worry about them," Tadase admitted. "Oh and I'm sorry for the...bad timing..."

"Oh it's no problem..." Nagihiko smiled, concealing the blush that attempted to form.

"If only we came a few seconds later, to see you two actually smooch!" Kukai whined.

"Shut up," Rima grumbled, not as successful as stopping her blush. "Well, I'm going to head home. I heard Ava's home, so I better make sure Yaya doesn't murder their poor child." Rima turned to Nagihiko briefly. "See you later Nagi." Her voice softened. He smiled back at her.

"Yup... Bye Rima-Chan..." They exchanged smiles, before she turned around and walked away. Nagihiko watched her walk briefly, before facing his friends. Kukai whistled loudly, leaving Nagihiko to roll his eyes. The four of them exited the park.

"So, what did you two discuss?" Kukai wondered. Tadase and Amu seemed curious as well.

"Is that really your business?" Nagihiko grumbled. The three of them looked extremely persistent. "Okay fine, we were just speaking about our relationship status. We're officially a couple," Nagihiko conceded.

"I thought you already were?" Amu wondered.

"Well, yeah, but we were always a bit hesitant because neither of us knew what would happen with the X-Virus," Nagihiko explained.

"Well, that's great! I'm really happy for you two," Tadase told him.

"Thanks!" Nagihiko smiled. "So... where exactly are we looking for them?"

"Well, we noticed them go into downtown. That place is pretty sketchy lately, so I hope they aren't doing anything bad..." Kukai muttered, sighing.

"This morning, before I left with Rima-Chan, I noticed Utau carrying some cash inside the house. You mentioned money is scarce lately right?"

"Yeah, definitely... Oh god, what are they doing to earn cash?!" Kukai exclaimed.

"Maybe Utau is singing on the streets and Ikuto is playing violin? I've seen plenty of musicians play on streets before..."

"Oh god, I thought you would say they were like drug dealers or something..." Kukai sighed a breath of relief.

"We should still check it out," Tadase suggested. "Better safe then sorry."

"I agree with Tadase-Kun," Amu declared. Tadase didn't say anything or make any eye contact with her. That still was difficult to believe for Nagihiko that they weren't getting along. He shrugged it off, and followed Amu, Tadase, and Kukai into the downtown area. It seemed quite disheartening for Nagihiko to see old shops he entered and bought from to now become bars and drug shops. Everything was truly so different.

"Let's go," Tadase persisted. Nagihiko noted Tadase's wary behavior.

"Ugh, I can't believe people would become strippers," Amu muttered, glancing at a strip club. There were girls standing on tables, dancing in a sexy manner to attract men. The three guys shifted uncomfortably. "What type of life choice is that?"

"People I guess are just really desperate," Nagihiko agreed.

"Yeah, really, I suppose if women get paid well by men, it's a pretty high-paying..." Kukai's voice trailed off, upon seeing a girl on one of the tables, with a fur coat sprawled across the ground. Her blonde pigtails bounced around, as she worked to impress the males, who practically tossed money at her. "Oh shit."

* * *

**That, my lovely readers, is the first, of likely many, cliffhangers in this story. All of you are probably extremely familiar with my cliffhangers in X-Virus. I assure you, things will not change much here. You'll have to see everyone's reactions to this in the next chapter (which will be soon!). Please review/favorite/alert! **


	3. Cover It Up

**Yay! I'm really happy I was able to update this really quickly. Well, I'm actually quite content to how this chapter turned out. I've been looking forward to writing this. I own nothing, and enjoy.**

* * *

Being a sexual figure always made Utau extremely uncomfortable. Even during her concerts, when Yukari suggested she should "appeal to men," Utau was appalled by the moves Yukari suggested. Showing off her body to a multitude of men was definitely not something that attracted Utau. When she was young, Utau swore that Ikuto would be the only male apart of her life and she would never date anyone else. Now, she even had a boyfriend. However, she claimed that Kukai was different. He could care less about how hot she was (although he often said she was to tease her); he liked her for everything she was. Utau did not understand why he liked her.

Every day, when Utau arrived at the strip club, she immediately felt guilty and ashamed. Each day, her and Ikuto left the house early and arrived home late. As usual, the two of them left, Utau in a melancholic state and Ikuto remaining stoic. Utau never discussed her hatred for stripping with Ikuto, but she was certain he detested it as much as she did. They always walked in silence.

"Do you think we should maybe tell the others?" Utau wondered, finally breaking the silence that fell between the siblings.

"Utau, you know we can't. They'll make us stop," Ikuto reminded.

"But..." Utau knew that Ikuto was right. As much as she hated it, it provided them with a lot of money to take care of the others.

"I know," Ikuto muttered quietly. "Utau, you can stop if you want. I can receive enough money to help."

"Ikuto, I'm not leaving you to do this alone!" Utau cried. "We're in this together." Ikuto's eyes darkened. Finally, they reached an intersection in downtown. The male strip club was on one street while the female one was on another. The siblings glanced at each other, sighing.

"Be careful," Ikuto whispered, before hurrying off. Utau nodded slowly, and made her way to the strip club she works at. She arrived, watching the others dancing on top of the tables, showing off their body. Utau sighed. It was just like any other day. She hesitated, before finally entering the building. Because she was ashamed by what she did, she always tried to find a table closer to the back, so no one could watch her.

"Chou, there's a table over there," The manager told her. Chou was the name Utau used instead of her own, in an effort to conceal her identity. Utau watched to where her finger pointed, and sighed. With her luck, there was a table close to the front, seating a large amount of men, drool practically coming out of their mouths, eager for Utau's dancing. She turned, noticing a smaller table in the back, no one sitting their currently. She began walking toward the other table, but the manager shook his head. Sighing dramatically, Utau placed her bag on the ground, and slowly stood up on the table. She took a deep breath. She still wondered why these men sought pleasure in strippers, as she did each time she came. Why would anyone in their right minds want to do this?

"Oh come on, hurry up!" One of the men shouted at her. She was shaking slightly, but slowly, she removed her large fur coat, throwing it onto the ground. The men swooned. Utau wore an outfit resembling a bikini (which she never wore when swimming). Both parts were lacy black. Tears formed in Utau's eyes, but she quickly blinked them back. Tears were merely a weakness. They resulted in a loss of money. Slowly, she began turning her hips, in an attempt to attract the men. They watched intently, not necessarily focused on her face. They shoved money directed toward her. Utau took it, placing it in her boot. As she leaned over, a man reached over to touch her cleavage. Utau gasped, falling backward onto another man's lap. Of course, this opportunity had to be taken for lap dancing. She sighed in annoyance, slowly dancing on his lap. He handed her a wad of cash, equaling $100 in yen (9400 yen approximately). She gasped, happily placing it in her boot. She quickly got back on the table, and continued dancing. She heard a song playing in the background, one sang by one of her rival singers.

Finally, after what seemed like years, the men stood up, handing her more money. Utau took it, and they gave her seductive smiles.

"See you soon, sexy," One of them told her. When she turned around, one of them reached for her butt. They all laughed. Utau resisted the urge to punch him in the face. She hated how perverted the men here were.

"Chou!" A voice yelled. Utau glanced up, facing someone who directed her toward another table. It was the table she had been initially desiring. Only one person sat there, with a hood concealing his face. One person could be a good thing, or worse. There were less people to touch her inappropriately, but from what she's heard from colleagues, one person might want alone time, and it could turn to prostitution. She took a deep breath, quickly putting the money in her bag, and got onto the table, not even bothering to put on the fur coat again. Before she could begin her usual routine, the hooded figure removed the hood. Utau practically screamed. The expression across his face was definitely not pleasing. Despite being at a strip club, he kept a completely straight face. Utau suddenly became much more conscious of what she was wearing.

"H-H-How..." She began.

"What, did you honestly think we wouldn't find out?!" His stoic expression quickly reverted to anger. Utau took a deep breath. We? She turned around, facing three other figures that didn't belong in a strip figure. She grabbed her fur coat quickly, and wrapped it around her body, her cheeks reddening ever so slightly.

"Chou, where do you think you're going?!" The manager spat at her.

"Chou?" Amu questioned. Both her and Tadase seemed extremely squeamish being inside of a strip club. Nagihiko remained expressionless, but he probably was uncomfortable. Kukai was too angry to be uncomfortable.

"I-I'm not feeling well, so I'm going home early today," Utau lied. The manager sighed, turning his head away. Utau walked out of the doors, slightly relieved to be gone from there. Her relief, however, was short-lived, as she faced the other four.

"Look, I can explain!" Utau tried to reason. "It wasn't like I wanted to! I-I..."

"You sure seemed pleased when you were dancing for those men," Kukai grumbled.

"I wasn't!" Utau protested. "I loathed it more than anything. We've been low on money, and the pay here is pretty good..."

"For _money_?! You sold your body to freaking men, probably like triple your age, for money?!" She glanced at the ground.

"I didn't have a choice," She murmured.

"Of course you did! Any of us could have gotten jobs! Or, you could have at least told us, and not have made it some gigantic secret!"

"If I told you, none of you wouldn't have let us do it."

"Well obviously not! Stripping is dangerous! The guys...t-they could have raped you! Well, unless prostitution was included." Kukai shook his head. "You probably got completely naked for these random men, and slept with them, _Chou_."

"Kukai, you're being ridiculous!"

"Well, it's not every freaking day you find out your girlfriend is a stripper!"

"Wait." All eyes looked up at Nagihiko. "Utau, what did you mean by 'none of you wouldn't have let _us_ do it?'" He inquired. It became obvious to everyone what she had implied.

"Ikuto...too?!" Amu whispered, her eyes widening.

"That way," Utau murmured, pointing in the direction of the male strip club. She followed them who went towards it. It occurred to Utau that she never saw the inside of that one. Neither sibling asked the other what occurred during their sessions. It was something neither of them wanted to talk about. The male strip club resembled a bar more closely than the line of tables at the female one. Guys handed women their drinks, and slowly performed some dance for them. It was fairly simple to find Ikuto inside, filling up a drink. He wore very small boxers, the only thing he wore. Amu's face heated up.

"Oh god, this has been a weird day, seeing the two people that made my childhood almost completely naked..." Tadase murmured, glancing away very quickly.

"Can... someone get Ikuto for me?" Amu wondered, extremely uncomfortable. Utau conceded, and went inside extremely reluctantly. When Ikuto noticed her, he dropped his drink.

"Why are you here?!" Ikuto wondered, putting on his clothes quickly.

"They figured it out," Utau grumbled, gesturing outside. Ikuto glanced up, his eyes widening. Amu was averting her eyes. Tadase watched her, unsure of what to do. Nagihiko was trying to reassure her and Kukai, who was looking extremely upset and enraged. The siblings exited, facing the four of them.

"You two have a lot of explaining to do," Tadase informed them. Ikuto crossed his arms. Utau glanced at the ground. The six of them walked home, in dead silence.

"HEY YOU GUYS ARE HOME!" Yaya squealed, the minute they walked into the door. Not one of them cracked a smile. She grinned at Kukai and extended her hand to perform their usual handshake.

"I'm not really in the mood Yaya," Kukai muttered. Yaya dropped her hand, and stared at him, dismayed. She was absolutely horrified.

"I need to go to my room," Amu muttered, running off. "And possibly the bathroom..."

"Amu, wait..." Ikuto tried to stop her, but was unsuccessful.

"What happened?" Yaya wondered, noticing the odd behavior.

"Yaya-Chan, we'll explain later," Nagihiko promised.

"Yaya wants to know _now_!" Yaya demanded.

"Yaya...please..." Tadase tried to calm her down. Nothing seemed right to Utau. She wished that they didn't have to find out like this, or even ever. She glanced at Kukai. He looked so hurt, which pained Utau immensely. He was always there for her whenever she needed him.

"Kairi, I need help!" Rima's voice interrupted Utau's thoughts momentarily. She was holding Ava, looking absolutely petrified. Kairi walked over to her, trying to help her hold her correctly. Nagihiko lightly chuckled. Utau abruptly stood up, ignoring Ikuto's stare, and retreated to her shared room with Ikuto and Nagihiko, who was likely going to sleep in Kairi, Tadase, and Kukai's room. She laid on her bed, and allowed all of her tears to escape her eyes. She had always been frightened for them to find out, especially Kukai. She hated the fact he was mad at her.

After a few minutes of sobbing her eyes out, she exited her room, and peered into the boys' room. Kukai sat inside alone, his eyes red and puffy. Utau hated to know she was the cause of his tears. As she leaned forward to watch him, she accidentally opened the door, gasping. He glanced up at her, not even giving her a smile.

"Look... I know you don't really want to talk to me. I get it. I-I just wanted to explain myself a bit more..."

"Is there really anything else to explain?" Kukai muttered. Utau walked inside, and sat beside him. He didn't try to push her away.

"Ikuto and I... we were just watching out for everyone," Utau explained. "It was the only way to get money for everyone. I didn't want to see any of us starve or anything. Let me tell you, it sucks. I hate stripping more than anything. It's disgusting, showing off for some men and watched them drool all over you."

"Then why did you do it?" Utau looked at Kukai questioningly.

"I... told you. Money?"

"Money for what?"

"Everyone's needs. Groceries? Whatever else."

"Utau... you could have gotten hurt doing it, " Kukai told her. "Would that have really been worth the money? Y-You could have gotten pregnant or something, or AIDS, or anything." Utau opened her mouth to protest, but Kukai continued. "Are you done with it?" She looked up, puzzled. He didn't look at her. "Are you done with stripping?"

"I..."

"It's a simple yes or no question!" Utau looked at Kukai with watery eyes. He sighed deeply. "Don't even bother. If it's taking you that long, it's pretty obvious what your answer is."

"I don't know anything for sure," Utau tried to tell him.

"Please leave."

"But Kukai-"

"I said, leave." Utau felt tears rapidly pour down her cheeks. It was stupid, something she swore not to do; cry over a boy. However, Kukai was always different. He added an element of joy to her dark life. She turned the doorknob, and began to leave.

"For what it's worth, I never got completely naked, or had sex with anyone. I'm still a virgin." Utau exited the room, and sat on her bed, thinking deeply about everything. She wondered if their relationship was in jeopardy.

* * *

Ikuto could feel the cold breeze of the night wind stroke his neck. He wasn't cold in the slightest however. The night relaxed him and often served as an escape for him. He always enjoyed sitting on the roof. He placed his violin case on the roof, giving him slight déjà vu of his near-suicide. He pulled out his violin, and placed his chin on it, slowly playing a sad melody, matching how he felt. He played for about five minutes, before stopping briefly. A sound of applause made Ikuto glance up quickly, noticing a familiar pinkette. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, as she walked closer to Ikuto.

"It was so pretty. You haven't played violin in a while Ikuto," Amu noted, sitting beside him.

"I only got back my violin recently," Ikuto muttered. Amu cocked her head to the side, puzzled. Instead of answering Amu's confusion, Ikuto continued to speak. "Why are you here, on the roof?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you, and I couldn't find you anywhere inside, so I figured you'd be on the roof," Amu explained, her cheeks reddening. Ikuto smirked slightly, noticing how easily Amu blushes to everything, even if there was absolutely no reason to.

"Amu wanting to find me? I like this change." She blushed even more, before shooting him a glare. He put away his violin. He faced her, making Amu find much difficulty making eye contact.

"Look, I-I wanted to talk to you about everything that happened today..." Ikuto's smirk subsided immediately.

"Amu, I know it's a difficult thing to process, and I really didn't want to upset you, but..."

"I'm not mad at you," Ikuto looked at her, completely stunned. In fact, she was smiling. This was the opposite reaction Ikuto expected her to take. "I admit, finding out that your boyfriend is a stripper isn't the most wonderful thing to learn. I was, still am, a bit freaked out."

"Your _boyfriend_?" Ikuto inquired. Amu's face heated up.

"S-Shut up! I-I didn't mean that! I-I simply meant, I-I, um..." There was nothing Amu could say in her defense. Ikuto chuckled. Amu was always the one thing that managed to make him happy from being in a foul mood in a matter of seconds. He found her so adorable, that she had no concept of romance, yet she was pursuing one with Ikuto. Amu took a deep breath before continuing.

"Your intentions were simply to obtain money for the family. That's really thoughtful, but I think you should quit We can all get jobs too. I don't like the idea of you stripping. It... hasn't led into anything else, right?"

"Don't worry Amu, you'll be my first."

"Your first...what?" Ikuto merely smirked, not even bothering to answer her question.

"What other job are we going to find? Everyone seeks jobs around here," Ikuto pointed out. Amu thought for a moment, and her eyes practically lit up.

"What if... we didn't need a job and we just had an abundance of money?" It was Ikuto's turn to glance at Amu with puzzlement. "Nagi. His family is really wealthy. I remember him saying something about being the heir of the family. We could ask him about that!"

"That's not a terrible idea, but would he be willing to use his money for us?"

"We're his friends; I'm sure he would. It's getting late, so we'll talk it about it with him tomorrow. Come on Ikuto; why don't you get some rest?" Ikuto turned to Amu for a moment, studying her features. She was beautiful, and everything he wanted. Romance was never something he sought for, but Amu was something he never would have dreamed of. "Um... Ikuto? Are you staring at me?"

"Yes," Ikuto bluntly replied, without taking his eyes off of her. Of course, Amu started blushing. "Amu, I'll quit the stripping, but I'll need Utau to quit with me. I'm not quitting until she does."

"Of course! I want her to quit as well." Amu smiled.

"Do you know if Kukai spoke to her or anything?" He asked. Amu sighed deeply.

"I didn't overhear everything, but I know Kukai was kicking Utau out of his room, and she was in tears," Amu admitted. "Don't get mad at Kukai. The whole situation shocked him... I can relate..." Ikuto sighed, pitying his sister. He knew how much this whole stripping situation hurt her, and how much she adored Kukai.

"I'm not mad at him. I'm only relieved you aren't mad at me."

"I honestly see no point. Maybe it was different for them, since they're really serious, and we aren't..."

"Yet." To Ikuto's dismay, Amu didn't start blushing even more. She smiled.

"I second that." Before Ikuto could blink, they were leaning toward each other. Once their noses touched, Ikuto smirked.

"This would have been a perfect first kiss," He whispered, his breath on her.

"Yeah. Too bad you had to screw it up by being infected with the X-Virus." Ikuto rolled his eyes, and removed the gap between them, kissing her gently. He wrapped his arms around her, steadying their kiss. It lasted a couple of minutes, before they separated, Amu's face bright red. Ikuto had a sincere smile across his face, as he seldom did. Amu smiled at him, shocked by his smile.

"W-Well, good night."

"Night Amu." He helped her down, carrying his violin case on his back, and they crawled into a window, coincidentally Ikuto's. When they got inside, they forgot to close it. Utau glanced up from her bed, her eyes widening. Amu gave Utau a wave, before exiting the room.

"What were you guys doing on the roof?" Utau wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Talking. And kissing," Ikuto replied, continuing his smile.

"Ikuto, you haven't smiled, in so long..." Utau observed. "I missed it." He shrugged, and laid down on his bed.

"Fujisaki isn't sleeping here tonight?" Utau shook her head.

"No, but he didn't seem angry with us. He was just comforting...someone." Ikuto nodded, understanding. Utau glanced at the ground.

"Utau, I shouldn't have urged you to do this. I know you've always hated this. You were always scared that he'd find out. I apologize."

"Did you honestly believe that I would let you do this alone? It's okay Ikuto. I just have a question." Ikuto glanced up at her. "Is it over? He asked me that, and I couldn't give him a straight answer. He kicked me out after that..." She rubbed her eyes.

"I think we should be," Ikuto told her. "Besides, Amu had an idea... Fujisaki, he's rich, isn't he?" Utau thought for a moment.

"Yeah, but can we really expect him to lend us money?"

"That was my concern as well. Amu seemed certain he would, and they're very close. It would be more successful if she asked since they're really close. I don't think he trusts us yet, especially after today."

"Yeah, probably not..." Utau sighed, laying down. "I'm going to try to get some rest. Good-night Ikuto."

"Night Utau."

* * *

It was extremely late at night. Everyone, with a few exceptions, was fast asleep. Slowly, a large, muscular figure crept inside the most crowded room of the house. Three of the four boys were sleeping soundly. The fourth, however, was nowhere to be seen. The man made his way toward the tallest one. His purple hair wasn't neat, proving he had woken up.

"You've finally awoken, my son. You've survived. However, I am not through with you." Gravatus pulled out a needle filled with a certain black substance, and slowly injected it into his skin. "I need my brother to see the world fully progressed." Suddenly, Gravatus heard loud footsteps make their way toward the room.

"INTRUDER! INTRUDER!" Kukai shouted, freaking out. Gravatus backed away from Nagihiko. The four boys in the room sat up immediately.

"Oh my god, that's..." Tadase's eyes widened. Nagihiko's eyes darkened.

"I'll be seeing you later," Gravatus opened the window, and hopped out. The four boys watched, completely flabbergasted.

"Is everything okay?!" The others lined up outside, with the exception of Yuu and Ava. Most of them still looked extremely tired and not awake.

"That was Gravatus...I think..." Tadase explained, rubbing his eyes.

"Gravatus?!" Rima exclaimed.

"How did he even get inside?!" Amu asked, puzzled.

"Ikuto, you forgot to close the window," Utau pointed out. "I could have sworn I heard footsteps in our room, but I thought it was you..." Amu blushed slightly, leaving Tadase to be suspicious.

"Well... I guess we should all try to go to sleep. We'll worry about it in the morning." Yukari yawned. The others, too tired to argue, nodded and went back to their rooms.

"Why was he even here?" Kairi wondered, thinking. No one answered him, since Tadase already fell back to sleep, and Kukai attempting to. Nagihiko, on the other hand, felt a terrible sensation run through him.

"I have to go to the bathroom," He muttered, abruptly standing up. Kairi nodded, before removing his glasses, and falling to sleep. Nagihiko entered the bathroom, and fell to his knees. He felt absolutely awful suddenly. He wondered if it had anything to do with Gravatus's sudden appearance. He was discovered in their room, and Nagihiko highly doubted Gravatus had any business with the other three. He hated the fact that he had to be his son. He wished his father was anyone else, preferably someone nicer. Everything would have been so much different if Gravatus was someone different. He would have been able to be himself. No cross-dressing, no lies, no traditions, no pain- he could have lived a normal life.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea passed through him. He hated the familiarity of the situation. Did Gravatus somehow infect him again? He remembered Amu saying something about not being able to become reinfected. However, what if he was never fully cured? At that moment, none of that mattered, as Nagihiko puked into the toilet. He wiped his mouth, and flushed the toilet. He felt better after doing that, but not great. He leaned against the wall of the bathroom, and sighed. Suddenly, he saw two X-Eggs form right in front of him. He raised an eyebrow, before realization came to him.

"Temari... Rhythm..." He whispered weakly. They floated away. So, now his charas were X-Eggs. He didn't get it; he wasn't thinking anything terrible! Yes, he was thinking about how the dancing traditions would be changed if Gravatus wasn't related to him, but why would Rhythm become an X-Egg? Suddenly, it occurred to him. He remembered Amu and Kukai explaining the fact he became injected with X-Energy. He glanced at his arm, noticing a slight mark that could only be made by a needle. He closed his eyes, and sighed. X-Energy had somehow met his heart's eggs, and made them X-Eggs. Sighing, he stood up and walked back to his room. He didn't feel too sick anymore, but the idea of his charas being X-Eggs and Gravatus injecting him was not too appealing.

"Nagi, you alright?" Kukai asked. He clearly had not fallen back to sleep, since he was an emotional wreck regarding Utau. Nagihiko contemplated explaining everything he had figured out.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nagihiko lied, smiling coolly. That smile covered up the pain he felt from his charas becoming X-Eggs, Gravatus injecting him with X-Energy, and his possible illness. Kukai didn't notice the lie, and simply smiled before turning the other direction. Nagihiko was anything but fine.

* * *

**Twist! I've also been looking forward to that twist. Everything might seem kind of random that's happening, but I promise, it's all going to tie together nicely. Well, I can promise you that, unless I update tomorrow, I won't be updating right away. School starts again for me on Tuesday. Well, I hope you enjoyed. Amuto fans- I hope you enjoyed that fluff. I'm not the best at writing Amuto, but I hope you enjoyed. Is Nagihiko really infected again? Are Kukai and Utau still a couple? You shall see soon. As usual, please review/follow/favorite!**


	4. Tadase's Birthday

**I apologize for taking a while to update! School got in the way as usual, and also, my birthday happened, so I was busy. Also, I did have difficulty stringing ideas together for this chapter. Fortunately, I have a new laptop now and I finally have Microsoft Word again. Well, as usual, I own only the OCs and the plotline, and enjoy. If you feel the need, type in the song **_**Don't Speak**_** by No Doubt on YouTube. That song reminds of Kukai and Utau's current relationship, and I'm kind of really obsessed. Onward to the story!**

* * *

Two days had passed since the night Gravatus appeared in their house. Each window and door was firmly closed when they were sleeping. Ever since that night, Nagihiko had been acting distant. He attempted to keep a positive composure, but others grew slightly wary, especially Rima. Ikuto and Utau had not returned to the strip club.

The morning of the 29th, Amu woke up in a panic. She immediately rose from her bed, and ran downstairs. She went into the kitchen, gathering ingredients she had purchased the previous day.

"Su!" Amu called. Her green-colored chara floated over, yawning.

"Do we have to do this Amu-Chan? I mean, he's not going to be up for a while," Su murmured, rubbing her eyes.

"Su, today is Tadase-Kun's birthday. I really want to make it a good day for him, since we haven't spoken in so long," Amu explained. She character changed with Su, and began baking a cake. She hummed as she did it. After a few minutes, the cake was finally complete. Amu admired the work, smiling. She ended the character change, and picked up the cake to place into a neater box. She studied it, hoping that he would enjoy it.

"YAYA SEES CAKE!~" Yaya screeched, entering the kitchen.

"Yaya, it isn't for you!" Amu exclaimed, shushing her. "It's Tadase's birthday!"

"It is?" The two girls turned, facing Kukai and Nagihiko. They were both fully dressed and showered.

"Yeah… How could you guys not know? You've been close to him for so long…"

"I was in a coma," Nagihiko reminded them. "It's still surreal that I skipped many months…" He glanced over at the cake. "It looks pretty!"

"Ikuto might not be pleased," Yaya teased. Amu's cheeks heated up.

"I-I don't really think of Tadase-Kun in that way anymore! I want to be friends, but he is making that difficult…" Amu sighed in remorse. "I even bought him a little something, but…" The other three turned to each other nervously.

"Oh shit," Kukai murmured. "I-I have an excuse! I haven't been in a good mood due to everything that occurred…" He sighed.

"Yaya was too preoccupied with Kairi-Kun!" Yaya bluffed. The others raised eyebrows. "What? Yaya needed _some_ sort of excuse…"

"Well, Amu-Chan wins the good friend award," Nagihiko chuckled. "Do you need any help with anything?" Amu shook her head slowly.

"I shouldn't be surprised," All of them glanced up in utter horror. Tadase's facial expression was not quite pleasing. He looked extremely hurt.

"Happy birthday man!" Kukai patted his shoulders.

"Don't pretend. I'm just the forgotten one…"

"Tadase, it's not like that at all," Nagihiko attempted to reassure.

"I don't care. My birthday's irrelevant anyway." Tadase turned toward the door.

"Tada-Tan! Amu-Chi made you cake!" Yaya told him, grinning. Tadase turned to face Amu angrily. Amu tried to force a smile.

"Stop trying Hinamori. What you did to me, it hurt immensely. Nothing can ever fix that. So cut the crap. I'm not interested in being your friend, or whatever the hell you want!" Amu's eyes widened.

"Tadase-Kun, I-"

"I'm done with you." He stomped toward the door, and hesitated slightly. "I loved you. I tried everything, I even competed with another guy! However, I see that meant nothing. You simply prefer some untrusting stripper opposed to me. I get it." Amu was on the verge of tears. Tadase stormed outside, slamming the door behind. Amongst the four of them, there was dead silence. As Amu began to sob, Nagihiko hugged her gently. The others exchanged nervous glances.

Footsteps descending the stairs broke the silence. Ikuto and Utau arrived downstairs, facing them. Upon seeing Amu crying, Ikuto rushed over. Nagihiko let go of her and smiled, allowing Ikuto to wrap his arms around her. Utau glanced over at Kukai, who intentionally averted eye contact.

"By any chance, is Tadase still around?" Utau asked. "Ikuto and I wanted to speak to him."

"No… He, um, just left…" Nagihiko muttered.

"Yaya feels terrible," Yaya murmured, sighing. "How could we just forget like that?"

"You forgot about his birthday?" Utau wondered, surprised. "Damn, and Ikuto and I actually had something good planned…"

"What were you two planning?" Nagihiko asked. Utau opened her mouth to speak, when Kairi and Rima walked over to the group of them.

"Is everything alright?" Kairi asked. "We heard a loud slam, and…"

"Tadase," Amu murmured, burying her head on Ikuto's shoulder. He stroked her hair gingerly.

"It's his birthday today, and Yaya, Nagi, and I completely forgot," Kukai explained. "What I don't get is why he got really pissed at Amu, and she actually remembered and even baked a cake…"

"Well, I guess he is just mad about Ikuto," Utau predicted. Kukai didn't say anything to her. Utau's eyes darkened.

"Um… Yaya is sure everyone is thinking it, but Yaya's the only one with the guts to say it, so, um… can we eat the cake?!" Everyone turned to Yaya.

"No one was thinking that," Rima pointed out.

"It's still for Tadase," Nagihiko informed her.

"But Tadase's not going to eat all of it, if anything," Yaya whined. "Besides, it will just go to waste! Yaya wants cake!" There was silence for a moment.

"Where do you think he went?" Kukai wondered, breaking the silence. "I sure don't want to deal with another stripper…" Utau glanced at the ground uncomfortably. Ikuto crossed his arms. Yaya, Rima, and Kairi all faced Kukai, completely puzzled.

"Stripper? Why would you hypothesize that Hotori-San is participating in such a manner?" Kairi inquired.

"Long story…" Amu muttered. Nagihiko suddenly broke into a fit of coughs. All eyes turned to him, as he sounded as if he was choking on nothing.

"I'll be right back," He promised between coughs, walking upstairs. Rima cocked an eyebrow, clearly in suspicion.

"Should we…try to find him? Tadase I mean," Amu wondered, sniffling. She removed her head from Ikuto's shoulder, glancing at the others with red and puffy eyes.

"There's no point," Ikuto muttered. "He'll come back when he feels like it." Amu nodded, sighing. She glanced over at her cake, sighing.

* * *

Kukai sat in his room, listening to music. He was listening to loud metal music. The truth was, he absolutely loathed it, but it distracted him from the problems that he currently encountered. Heavy metal occupied his brain, allowing him not to think, which was just what he needed. The loudness of the music left him oblivious to the knocking at the door.

"Kukai!" A voice yelled, barely heard underneath the music. He turned, facing a blonde. Her hand was on her hip, probably having been trying to get his attention for a while. Kukai only raised the volume, having no interest in speaking to her. "How loud do you need to listen to this crap?!"

"Take the hint!" Kukai yelled over the music.

"Look, can't you just let me talk for one moment! Just… hear me out, this once okay?!" Sighing, Kukai turned off the music, the world seeming suddenly quiet. Utau sighed, sitting beside him on his bed.

"Five minutes," He grumbled. Utau gulped for a minute.

"Kukai, I know I've said it so many times, but words cannot describe my guilt. I didn't want to hurt you, I swear. It was nothing with the other men. I just needed money, and I didn't know how else…" Tears began to form in her eyes. "This whole situation has only made me realize truly how much I love you. You mean the world to me Souma. I once told myself I wouldn't become devoted to a boy, but it seems I've failed miserably. You're amazing. I love you so much, so much more than you can probably fathom. I would never go with another guy. The stripping… it wasn't anything more. It was just…" Utau closed her eyes. "I've already told you that. I don't know how else to seek forgiveness. I mean, I'm practically begging now."

"Why do you love me?" She looked at him, surprised. He still didn't look up at her. "I'm nothing more than some simple-minded, dim-witted jock. You can do so much better than me. So, why settle for less?"

"Because, you're wrong." Utau cleared her throat. "You aren't the stereotypical jock Kukai. Your life does not revolve around sports. You care about other things. I have always admired the way you cared for Yaya. You care about your friends and treat them like family. You're absolutely amazing Kukai. Honestly, I don't see why someone wouldn't love you." He didn't say anything for a moment. He finally looked up at her.

"Utau, you…" He laughed slightly. "You make it so difficult to be mad at you. However, what you did, it hurt. I know what your intentions were, but the idea freaked me out. I really don't want to end…us, but I think we should…" Kukai looked upset. "I love you Utau, I always will. Honestly, I'm never going to love anyone the way I love you. I don't even want to try. I can comprehend how much you love me, because I love you that much. I still need to think about everything though. W-We should take a break…" Utau looked at the ground, her eyes beginning to get watery.

"I… guess…"

"Utau, it's not over, I promise. I just need time to forgive you, to fully gather everything. We'll just take a break, alright?" She nodded slowly. She didn't like it, but she was at least content to not be broken up. She stood up, smiling sadly at him before exiting the room. She wiped her tears away, and sighed. It was okay; she could survive…

* * *

"Do you have the money?" A crowd of guys demanded, laughing. Tadase stood beside them, his eyes darkened.

"I'm not giving it to you until I receive the information I seek," He hissed.

"That's not how it works kid. Money first." He sighed, and handed them the wad of cash previously earned by Utau and Ikuto. The head of the gang examined it, eying it curiously.

"Hm, not bad Hotori. This is a decent amount of cash."

"Now, why don't you tell me what I want? Where is he?" Tadase demanded.

"Look, I don't know the man you're referring to." Tadase's eyes darkened. He should have known that they were lying to him. He was just desperate, anxious for answers.

"But you said-"

"People lie to get what they want. We wanted money, deal. Stop being so innocent." He raised his fist, and slammed Tadase right on his cheek. He cried out, falling to the ground. The men laughed. "Weak boy." The gang walked away, leaving Tadase helplessly lying on the ground. The gash across his cheek only felt worse.

* * *

It had been about five hours since Tadase left. Everyone was beginning to get worried. Amu held the present she had gotten for him on her lap, sighing. Tadase had always been a good friend to her, even before their romance began. He always cared about everyone immensely. Yet, he clearly was hurt when Yaya, Nagihiko, and Kukai forgot a gift. He didn't even care about Amu's efforts.

It was obvious the three of them felt guilty. However at the moment, none of them were focused on that issue. Kukai sat beside Nagihiko, looking quite foul. Amu could only hypothesize that it had something to do with his conversation with Utau. Nagihiko looked awful. His face was as pale as a ghost, and he almost looked sick. Rima was eying him suspiciously, sitting on a different couch. Yaya was beside Nagihiko, munching on Tadase's cake.

"Nagi, what's wrong with you?" Everyone in the room turned to Rima. "I'm sure I'm not the only one here who has noticed you look awful. You had a coughing fit earlier, all leading to signs of illness." Nagihiko smiled softly.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm alright," Nagihiko lied, smiling casually.

"You look like a vampire." Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. "Your skin is so pale and your eyes are watery." He shrugged.

"It might be just seasonal allergies. It is spring," He pointed out. Without believing him in the slightest, she stood up and sat beside him, forcing Yaya to move away. Yaya pouted and got up, happily stealing Rima's former seat beside Kairi.

"Rima does have a point. You look terrible man," Kukai observed. Nagihiko narrowed his eyes at his friend. Before Nagihiko could blink, Rima's hand was on his forehead.

"Rima-Chan, I'm fine," Nagihiko tried to reassure, slowly moving away. She moved her hand to his cheek, and sighed.

"No, you're not. You felt really warm." Concern etched across her face. "Yaya get a thermometer."

"Rima-"

"But Yaya's eating!" Yaya whined. Rima shot her a cold stare, making Yaya immediately comply and get a thermometer. Rima turned back to him.

"What happened when Gravatus came?" Rima wondered.

"I told you, he didn't have a chance to do anything because Kukai-"

"That's totally the truth," She muttered sarcastically.

"Nagi, if you don't feel great, you should tell us," Amu told him gently. "I mean, something like this could be important."

"I…"

"Hinamori-San is correct," Kairi agreed. "It is mandatory to be up-to-date of any symptoms you may experience. You should not hesitate to inform us of-"

"YAYA'S BACK!" Yaya announced, tossing Rima the thermometer. She caught, fumbling with it slightly.

"Nice catch," Nagihiko complemented. She ignored him, and stuck the thermometer in his mouth. Nagihiko decided there was absolutely no point in struggling. He narrowed his eyes at Rima. Finally, the thermometer beeped. Rima removed it from his mouth, and read the temperature.

"What is it?" Kukai wondered, trying to lean over. Rima glanced up at Nagihiko, worry apparent on her face. Nagihiko didn't like the expression she had.

"Rima…"

"102.7," She read, sighing. "That's a pretty high fever."

"Sometimes the thermometers exaggerate," Nagihiko pointed out. "I mean, I don't feel very sick and…"

"This thermometer is accurate," Rima snapped. "Can't you stop lying for even a second?! It's quite obvious you're sick now. What do you benefit from by withholding the truth?! You feel awful Nagi, and you don't need to hide it! Why don't you stop lying, for one freaking moment, and actually admit to being sick!" Nagihiko didn't say anything. He knew she was right. He always turned to lying, without even pondering to tell the truth.

"Well, maybe you should rest…" Amu muttered, breaking the silence. Nagihiko nodded slowly.

"Nagi, I'm sorry," Rima apologized, turning to face him. "I, um… I shouldn't have…"

"No, you're right. I do lie too much, and it's almost second nature to me." He sighed. "The truth is, I'm pretty sure Gravatus injected me with something that made me sick."

"Again?!" Amu exclaimed. Nagihiko nodded.

"I didn't see him do it, but I saw a mark on my skin that could only be made by a needle. Also, given the fact that Temari and Rhythm were in X-Eggs, I can presume it was X-Energy…" Nagihiko held out his arm for the others to see.

"Yaya's sorry about your charas Nagi-Tan," Yaya murmured.

"It's alright. We'll just have to find them as soon as we can." Nagihiko put his hand to his head, whimpering slightly in pain. His head hurt immensely. Rima's arms surrounded him suddenly, pulling him into a hug. He rested his head on her shoulder.

"We should not make any assumptions about this sudden illness. It is likely not a coincidence, but once one catches the X-Virus, they are unable to receive it again," Kairi analyzed.

"Maybe I was never cured," Nagihiko muttered.

"Then why did you stop attacking us after Amu purified you?" Rima wondered.

"Maybe it resurfaced?"

"I have a more likely hypothesis." All eyes turned to Kairi. "Rima, Souma-Kun, you two experienced after-effects." The two of them nodded, shuddering slightly. "Since Nagihiko-San's Berserk Phase was much more intense, it is likely that he is experiencing a worsened form of after-effects."

"Then what did Gravatus do?" Kukai wondered.

"Maybe his goal was to make it worse?" Amu wondered.

"It seems odd that he's injected me twice with X-Energy. Doesn't he already have everything he wants?"

"Not quite everything," Rima pointed out. "He still desires his brother."

"Damn, that guy's persistent…" Kukai murmured. Nagihiko stood up suddenly, leaving everyone to watch him.

"I'm going to go up to my room and relax for a bit," He announced, heading toward the stairs. "I apologize for not telling you everything right away."

"It's alright, but make sure you do next time." Rima stood up as well, walking over to him.

"I'll try," He promised. Rima stood on her toes, attempting to reach his height. Nagihiko smiled at her failed efforts, leaning down.

"Ew, they're going to kiss!" Yaya whined. Ignoring Yaya's comment, they leaned closer to each other.

"Rima-Chan, what if it is something entirely different? I certainly wouldn't want you to catch it."

"Please. Of course it's related to everything. That's why got sick immediately after Gravatus injected you."

"That's reassuring." The gap between them was removed. They kissed for a few minutes, having not done so in over five months.

"GET A ROOM!" Kukai shouted. Both of them immediately parted, their faces bright red. Nagihiko gave her a final smile, before heading up to his room with the Tsukiyomis to relax. Rima turned to Kukai, shooting him a glare.

* * *

Aruto arrived at a hotel room. He needed somewhere to stay here since he figured he would be here for a while. He walked over to the receptionist and asked for a room.

"What is your name?" The receptionist asked politely.

"Aruto Tsukiyomi," He told her.

"Oh, it seems you've already reserved a room under that name. It's on the third floor room ninety-four. It faces the balcony." Puzzled, Aruto nodded, and took the key to his room that was apparently booked for him. On his way to the elevator, he noticed a girl exiting the hotel.

"Excusez-moi, I have a question." Aruto turned to her. Her French accent was quite thick.

"How can I help you?" He asked the girl.

"By any chance, do you know a girl named Amu Hinamori?"

"No, I apologize. I have never heard that name before."

"Oh, alright. Merci beaucoup." The girl walked out of the hotel, her blonde curls bouncing up and down. To Aruto's dismay, he noticed a small chara float out behind her. It had been so many years since he last saw a shugo chara. He shrugged it off, and headed to his room. When he arrived inside room 394, he noticed that the room was extremely large. Whoever had mysteriously booked this room must have paid loads of money. There was a beautiful view of the ocean outside his bedroom window. On his bed, he saw a piece of paper with many chocolates surrounding it. Curious, he walked toward it, seeing it read: Welcome Home Aruto. He was puzzled; who would leave this for him? No one knew that he was coming back. He didn't even know many people in Japan anymore, since it had been eleven years. There were his parents, but they never had a good relationship. His brother? Aruto had cut all ties with Kai. It couldn't have been his children whom barely remembered him. He had one more guess.

"Kazuomi…" Aruto growled. Developing this whole entire thing with the energy from X-Eggs must have been part of his plan to bring him back. Aruto needed to bring him down. He pushed his chocolates off of the bed and laid down. It didn't take long for him to fall to sleep, since he was absolutely exhausted. Unbeknownst to Aruto, his brother had caused everything.

* * *

**Finally, I finished this chapter! It took me a while to gather ideas -_-. So, I apologize if this chapter is weaker than some of the others. However, I can guarantee, this story definitely has good things coming. It will get dark, really dark. Oh, and that girl Aruto ran into? Don't forget her (although it's pretty obvious who she is). Also, I know Tadase seems like a drama queen, but I promise, his plot line will make much more sense later. I'll just say simply for now: it's not just Amu's relationship with Ikuto. Please review/favorite/alert, and hopefully the next update will be **_**much**_** faster. Let's hope for a lack of Writer's Block next time!**


	5. Noir à Paris (Black in Paris)

**I've been looking forward to writing this one. I admit, this chapter is mostly filler, but its purpose is to build up importance. It will introduce two more characters that will help move the plot forward. I hope you enjoy. As usual, I own nothing except for the usual OCs, and enjoy!**

When the X-Virus reached Paris, disaster struck like lightning upon the city. People were in utter aghast. Since Paris is very populated, the virus spread rapidly between people. No one knew exactly how it reached them considering it began in Japan, but Lulu De Morcef-Yamamoto had her suspicions. Hell broke loose around the time two Japanese women spoke to her mother.

It was early in the morning when Lulu overheard talking in her house. Yawning, she got up, and tiptoed down the stairs. Her parents seldom spoke to each other, both being extremely busy in their respective occupations. Her mother was rapidly becoming famous. Her father's recipes were being observed by chefs across the world. Lulu couldn't be more delighted.

"…I have heard much about you, Yamamoto-San. The movies you feature in are absolutely impeccable." Lulu beamed, pleased that some stranger was complimenting her mother. It did occur to Lulu that two random women were in her house. They were both dressed formally, wearing extravagant kimonos that draped down below their knees. It was obvious that they were not French, given their lack of accent. However, their French was quite fluent.

"I appreciate that, madam." Lulu noticed the woman's eyes darken slightly at the word madam. "However, may I ask why you are here?"

"We were interested in possibly recruiting you to film something for us. Our family needs more recognition, and we would immensely appreciate it if you were available to film an advertisement for us, regarding our performances."

"My mother will not take part in some petty commercial." All three eyes diverted to Lulu. She descended the stairs, still in her nightgown.

"This is my daughter, Lulu," Lulu's mother introduced. She turned to face her daughter, with a look of disapproval. "Lulu, how could you come and greet our guests without getting properly dressed?" Lulu bowed her head.

"I apologize, maman," Lulu whispered. "I will go get changed right away."

"Do it later. Come greet our guests." Lulu turned toward the two women. "This is Natsumi Fujisaki, and her housekeeper, Kasumi Baaya." The two women curtsied. Lulu studied them for a moment. Fujisaki… why did that name sound so familiar?

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Natsumi greeted, extending her hand out to Lulu. She studied her for a moment, not wanting to shake her hand. When her mother gave her a look, she sighed and shook hands with Natsumi Fujisaki. Natsumi gave Lulu a kind smile, gently coughing into her arm.

"What exactly does your family do?" Lulu's mother asked.

"The Fujisaki family is famous for our dancing. We perform globally. My son, err, daughter is next in line to be the heir of the family. She is about the same age as your daughter. She constantly practices, working her hardest to propagate the importance of our dancing. In fact, she was supposed to come with us to Paris, but she became infected with a foul virus. Dancing is such an elegant activity, and it is something that can bring people together. If we can obtain someone as highly adored as you to praise us and speak of us on global television, it would truly be beneficial." Lulu's mother smiled. Baaya coughed quietly.

"I have much on my plate, but I am definitely interested in supporting you. I'll give you a call when I am available." Lulu's mother shook hands with Natsumi.

"Merci beaucoup. I appreciate you making time for us." The women turned toward the door.

"The pleasure is mine, Fujisaki-San." Lulu's eyes widened.

"Excusemoi, do you have a son as well?" Lulu blurted. Lulu's mother narrowed her eyes.

"No… I just have my daughter Nadeshiko. The Fujisaki family is quite large, so you have likely met a distant relative that you are thinking of." Lulu nodded slowly, watching them leave the house. The name Nadeshiko sounded so familiar. Lulu couldn't place from where though.

A few days after Natsumi and Baaya left, Lulu and her mother began to become sick. She even had to be taken out of school due to her illness. However, she wasn't the only one. Whatever the bug was, it had spread extremely rapidly, even having many of her teachers out.

"Lulu-Chan…" Lulu glanced up, turning to her chara.

"Nana, speak quieter," Lulu scolded. "My head hurts."

"Lulu, wait-"

"Can it wait?! I'm trying to take a beauty nap. If you haven't noticed, I'm _extremely_ sick," Lulu moaned.

"I couldn't gather you were sick due to your constant complaining," Nana muttered under her breath. Lulu turned her head. "Lulu, wait!" Nana floated in front of her. Lulu was about to turn the other way, when she noticed the distorted color of her chara.

"Nana, you look almost…faded…" Lulu observed.

"Exactly. I-I'm disappearing." Lulu sat up immediately.

"W-What?!" Nana began to fade even more. "No…" Nana uttered a weak smile, before she was completely gone. Lulu stared at the empty spot of her chara. Why was Nana gone?! She couldn't be…

"NANA!" Lulu cried, sobbing into her pillow. Normally, her mother would come to comfort her, but she was equally sick. Even her father who had come home to take care of them fell sick as well.

It only took a little less than a week before Lulu entered Berserk Phase. She had no recollection of anything she did. People were incessantly attacking everything. Innocent people that managed to not get sick were killed. No one had control over their actions.

"Sweet melody!" A voice yelled. The pureness of the voice stood out in front of the crowd of darkness. The Berserk Phased people froze in their tracks, slowly becoming purified. Some people who had been in the Berserk Phase for too long died. However, Lulu was one of the survivors.

When she next woke up, she found herself gazing into the eyes of a girl with amber-colored hair. She had a huge smile on her face. She wore a yellow sundress, not exactly blending with November.

"I was hoping you'd wake up first!" The girl grinned. Lulu stared at her, puzzled. Something seemed familiar about this girl.

"Where…am I?" Lulu wondered, sitting up. "Last I remember, I was throwing up again, and then everything went black."

"Mhm, you've got the X-Virus, girl. Well, _had_." Lulu stared at the girl. She was extremely informal.

"X-Virus?"

"Yup! I had it too before. Not a pleasant experience." She shuddered. "I'm not exactly sure of its origins, but I'm assuming it has something to do with X-Eggs, since, like, X."

"X-Eggs?"

"Oh for God's sake Lulu! Didn't you work for Easter or something?" Lulu sat up straight.

"How do you know my name?!" Lulu demanded. The girl looked falsely hurt.

"Aw Lulu, you don't remember me?" Lulu shook her head slowly. "Well, I guess it was more memorable for me. Remember? You turned my lil' Cecil into a question egg!" Lulu's eyes widened. It had been over a year since she last did that. That was when she was in Japan. So, this is someone from Japan?

"I haven't done that in so long…" Lulu whispered. "For the record, I did that to so many people. I don't keep track of all of them." The girl grinned.

"Glad to see you're a changed woman!" Lulu sighed.

"Can you reintroduce yourself? And explain exactly what's going on?"

"Gladly! So, the names Yua. Yua Sakurai. I was a model, now I'm a singer. I'm not that famous though, nothing like that Utau Hoshina." Lulu sighed, remembering the Tsukiyomis. She never really liked them too much. "So, well, like others who had the X-Virus, you acted really weird and crazy by attacking people awkwardly. The same happened to me actually, but I was purified. So, I heard that it was really bad in Paris, so I figured I'd fly from Japan and so here I am! I learned that I could purify with Cecil, my chara, so I did that. And here you are- completely cured and purified. Ha! Curified!" Yua laughed at her own joke. Lulu raised an eyebrow.

"What about other people across the world? You couldn't go everywhere that the X-Virus went," Lulu inquired.

"Well, some people naturally got better. Others did not." Lulu thought for a moment.

"Who purified you?" Lulu asked. Yua grinned happily.

"I mean, I couldn't be sure considering I was randomly attacking and have no memories from that, but I have a pretty good idea who did it. There's only one person I know that could do that." Lulu stared at Yua blankly. "Oh come on Lulu! You know _exactly_ who I'm referring to!"

"Actually… I don't…."

"Use your noggin!" Lulu raised an eyebrow. "The girl that purifies everything. She purified me _twice_ now. The foiled your plans in Japan with the mystery eggs." Lulu's eyes widened. She remembered her distinctively; the pink hair that always seemed to appear at the right time. The one who opened Lulu's eyes and became her only true friend in Japan. Someone who Lulu always sought to meet again.

"Hinamori Amu…" Lulu gritted her teeth. Yua grinned, and nodded, patting Lulu's head. Lulu shoved her hand off, and fixed her hair.

"I bet if anyone knows something, it's her! Let's go to her!" Yua dragged Lulu's arm.

"Wait, Sakurai-San! We need to buy tickets to Japan! Besides, I need to know if my parents are alright. And Nana! Is she okay?!"

"I saw two people who looked like you, and they are purified too. I didn't see your grandmother though… Oh, and call me Yua!"

"My grandmother?" Lulu stared at her blankly.

"Yeah, you mentioned Nana?" Lulu stifled laughter.

"That's my chara…"

"Oh that's awkward!" Yua barked laughter. "It took Cecil a while to come back, so I'm sure Nana will return soon. Well, can we go to Japan now?! I want to see Amu-Chan, and all of her buddies! Some of those guys were, like, steaming. I wanted to get all over them. Especially Utau-San's brother and Nagi… Oh damn…"

"Wait, the second name you said, Nagi… what was his last name?" Yua cocked her head to the side.

"Uh… Fujisaki I think? Nagihiko Fujisaki? He's rich too. Mm…" Lulu pondered for a moment. The name that Natsumi Fujisaki said, Nadeshiko, sounded familiar as well. However, Lulu met Nagihiko. Maybe it was only a distant relationship? However, it seemed too coincidental that Nagihiko's mother and housekeeper would fly down and Yua was purified by Amu.

"You said Easter set up the X-Virus, correct?"

"Uh… most likely. It's always Easter."

"That means… it began in Japan. Those bitches!" Lulu cleared her throat, as she was taught to do when she cursed.

"Who's a bitch?"

"These two women came from Japan, offering my mother a job. They spread the X-Virus to us, and then that's how it got around!"

"Oh. Well, that's cool. Let's find Amu!" Lulu nodded, deciding to follow Yua. She had nothing to lose.

It took Yua and Lulu four months before they were able to successfully get a flight. Despite having opposite personalities, the two of them were forced to become really close. Nana had returned. Right before their plane took off, Lulu sighed, watching the city outside of her window. Paris, supposedly the most romantic city in the world, looked nothing like that anymore. Everything that made Paris itself was destroyed. The Eiffel Tower was crashed to the ground. Lulu wondered if everything would ever be the same. Would she ever come back?

"Lulu…" She became aware of the presence of Yua holding her hand. She soon realized that tears were etched upon her face. Cecil and Nana were playing somewhere else on the plane.

"I'm fine," Lulu murmured.

"It's okay Lulu. Japan is a total mess too. I know how you feel. But you know that if anyone can make it better, it's Amu-Chan." Lulu nodded, unsure if she could believe that anymore. Amu could fix everything it seemed, but could she fix something as big as this; something that could be arguably the equivalent to a zombie apocalypse? As the plane ascended, Yua squeezed Lulu's hand tighter, obviously not fond of heights. Lulu turned her head from the window, and noticed two familiar women sitting not too far away. Lulu glared at them. It was their fault that everything was a colossal disaster. Finally, they stopped going any higher. They were officially in the sky, flying away from her home.

"Au revoir France…" She whispered.

* * *

Lulu exited the hotel, sighing. She had asked tons of people already about the whereabouts of Amu were, but she had no success. It had been three days since she and Yua first arrived in Japan.

"Any luck?" Lulu turned, facing Yua. Lulu shook her head, sighing.

"She has to be somewhere around here," Lulu declared. Yua sighed, and they continued walking.

"Y-Yamamoto-San? Sakurai-San?" The two girls turned, facing a blonde boy helpless on the ground. Lulu's eyes widened. He was Amu's paramour; the one she constantly spoke of.

"Tadase!" Yua hugged him. Tadase cringed, wincing in pain. Yua let go. "Geez, you look terrible."

"No… I-I'm fine…" Tadase stood up, staggering slightly. "What are you two doing here? Yamamoto-San, you were in France…" Yua opened her mouth to speak, but Lulu covered it.

"We'll explain everything momentarily," Lulu spat. "Lead us to Hinamori Amu and others." Tadase's eyes darkened.

"I…I don't want to face them like this," Tadase whispered. "Look, we sort of got off on a bad foot this morning, and-"

"Holy shit, you got into a fist fight with them?! I bet it was Ikuto, wasn't it? Or Nagi?"

"I've definitely considered the idea with Ikuto-NiiSan," Tadase murmured quietly. Neither girl heard him. "No, it's, um, a long story. Just… don't tell the others that you found me this way."

"Why don't you tell us where they are?" Lulu demanded. Tadase nodded, limping. The girls followed, supporting him. He led them to a medium-sized house. Lulu scoffed, comparing to her own.

"This is where we've been staying," Tadase explained. "It's been dangerous to leave, so we've been staying at Sanjou-San's place." He knocked on the door. The door opened, revealing Kukai. He turned to Tadase, horrified.

"Tadase, we were so worried! Oh my god, what happened to you?!"

"I fell," Tadase lied.

"Aren't you awfully klutzy, always conveniently falling before you get home. That _totally_ explains your six hour absence. Tadase, we're your friends; I'm like your brother! Can't you just tell the truth?"

"A brother would remember my birthday," Tadase grumbled. Kukai looked extremely guilty.

"Well, for what it's worth, Ikuto _did_ remember…" Kukai turned to the two girls. "Who are you- wait, you're that creepy girl with the ruby necklaces! Um, wait, I've got this… Um…"

"Lulu. Lulu De Morcef-Yamamoto." Lulu curtsied. "For the record, I'm not just some 'ruby-necklace' girl. I've changed."

"Cool! And you are?" Kukai faced Yua, who was currently drooling at him. She snapped out of a trance, and grinned.

"Yua Sakurai! I'm a childhood friend of Amu's, and I am a model and a singer. And you are you handsome?" Yua winked seductively.

"Kukai Souma, the pleasure is mine. But, um, I'm actually in a relationship…wait… No…" Kukai's eyes darkened.

"Bad breakup?" Yua patted his head.

"Kind of… It's, um, complicated…" Tadase looked at Kukai surprised.

"Oh, it's creepy ruby girl and annoying model." Rima walked over to the mix of them, glancing at them. Yua looked insulted.

"Why do all of you think of me like that?!" Lulu murmured. Rima shrugged.

"Aren't you from France? Why are you here? None of us have lost souls. Well, actually… But yeah, why are you here?" Lulu opened her mouth to speak, before she was suddenly hugged tightly.

"Lulu-Chi!" Yaya exclaimed. She let go, and turned to Yua. She grinned at Yaya, and they hugged each other. Rima eyed them suspiciously. When Yaya finally let go, she turned to Tadase, concerned. Rima noticed him as well.

"What happened Tadase?" Rima asked bluntly.

"Nothing."

"I'm done with lies today. Truth. Now." Tadase didn't answer, leaving Rima to be annoyed.

"What's all of the chatter about? Fujisaki's trying to sleep."

"It's alright, I'm feeling better already." The Tsukiyomis and Nagihiko walked down the stairs. Tadase frowned. All of them faced Tadase with pity and skepticism. Kairi walked over as well, observing the scene.

"Nagi!" Yua giggled, playing with his hair. Nagihiko smiled slightly. Rima frowned.

"Yua-Chan! What are you doing here?" He turned to Lulu. "Yamamoto-San, you flew all the way from France to Japan? Are guys seeking Amu-Chan?"

"The only competent one," Lulu grumbled.

"HEY KAIRI'S REALLY SMART TOO!" Yaya yelled. Kairi grew flustered, adjusting his glasses. Lulu opened her mouth to speak, when Amu walked over to them.

"Tadase-Kun! What happened?!" Amu exclaimed, rushing over to him. Yua whistled loudly, prompting Ikuto to shoot her a glare. Yua winked at him.

"Nothing," He lied. Amu gave him a look of concern, before facing Yua and Lulu. She had a huge smile upon her face.

"Lulu…Yua… I can't believe you guys are here…" She hugged them.

"Hinamori Amu… We have a lot to discuss." Amu nodded. All of them sat down on the couches. Yua sat in between Ikuto and Nagihiko, grinning immensely. Nagihiko narrowed his eyes at her, diverting his attention to Rima. She gave him a concerned expression, of which he returned with a smile.

"So… what brings you girls here?" Amu asked.

"The so-called X-Virus," Lulu replied bluntly. "I had it in France. Yua managed to purify me and my parents, and we came here to find some answers."

"How can Yua-Chan purify the charas? I mean, you needed to receive the X-Virus and get cured to purify, so…" Yua smirked at Nagihiko. Lulu studied him for a moment. Her eyes widened, noticing similar features to Natsumi.

"Actually, it was thanks to you Amu!"

"Eh? I purified you?! I don't remember that!" Amu exclaimed.

"Amu purified many people at once. I doubt she remembers one insignificant person," Rima pointed out.

"Hey! I'm not insignificant!" Yua whined. "After being purified, I went to purify Lulu in Paris."

"More importantly, what exactly is this X-Virus?" Lulu asked. The others turned to each other, and explained everything that happened in the last five months.

"I'm glad you're awake Nagi," Yua told him, smiling seductively. Nagihiko nodded slowly, slightly disturbed by her glance.

"Of course it was Easter…" Lulu shook her head in disgust. She turned to face Ikuto. "Your stupid company."

"Actually, I left Easter almost exactly a year ago," Ikuto pointed out. "It wasn't my fault Gravatus had the idea to capture me and begin testing the virus." Utau shot Lulu a glare.

"Well, are you two staying here? I'm sure we could make space for you two." Amu smiled at the two of them.

"Where exactly?" Kukai wondered. "I mean, they could share with you, Yaya, and Rima."

"I don't want to share with them," Rima muttered.

"It's all cool! We can take the couches." Yua grinned.

"I don't want to sleep on the petty couches," Lulu snapped. All eyes turned to her. "I would like a bed."

"Well, easier said than done," Ikuto muttered. It was decided that Lulu and Yua would be sharing with the girls, much to Rima's disliking.

As Nagihiko began to make his way back to his room with the Tsukiyomis, he heard his name called. He turned, facing Lulu. Her hand was on her hip, and she eyed him.

"What is it, Yamamoto-San?" Nagihiko asked, smiling slightly. He didn't feel too great, but he felt no need to tell that to Lulu.

"It's your fault."

"Pardon?"

"My home was perfectly fine. I was healthy, perfect. But your stupid family had to screw up everything." Nagihiko's eyes widened. It didn't take long for him to make the connection. There were many dancing academies in Europe, but Paris was by far her favorite. He remembered the day distinctively when she left him. He had been so oblivious to what would happen.

"I suppose you became acquainted to my mother and Baaya?"

"Hm, funny. She didn't mention having a son. She said she had a daughter… Nadeshiko?" Nagihiko's face paled.

"Nadeshiko is my twin sister. My mother tends to neglect my existence," Nagihiko lied smoothly, faking a sigh. "I got them infected… Do you know if they're okay?"

"Yeah, I saw them on the flight here," Lulu muttered.

"Wait, they're here?!" Nagihiko exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Oh shoot…"

"Don't want to see your mother?" Lulu sneered.

"I…" He pondered for a moment. Everything had been caused by his father. His mother would surely not want to be reunited with him, if it came down to it.

"Well, I think it's awfully selfish of them to come barreling down to Paris, and infecting everyone."

"Yamamoto-San, they didn't know they were sick," Nagihiko informed her, entering reality. "They weren't on top of me too much. They thought that I just had a small fever."

"But_you _knew, didn't you? You knew you had the X-Virus."

"Well, I didn't know they would get infected!" Nagihiko snapped, getting annoyed at Lulu's accusations. "I had been careful actually, until Rhythm… Look, is there really a point pinning the blame on anyone? What happened has happened. I didn't _want_ the X-Virus. Due to the amount of X-Energy released, I'm sure it would have affected France regardless, or someone else infected would have flown down. I'm sorry if you got sick, but almost everyone was. If you're looking for an apology for nothing, you aren't getting it." Lulu watched, as Nagihiko exited into his own bedroom. She sighed, and went into her own bedroom with the other girls. Yua was already fast asleep. Lulu sighed, laying out her suitcase. She pulled out a nightgown, and slipped it on.

"What did you say to him?" She turned her head, facing a petite blonde. She coldly stared at her, no expression present on her face.

"Excusemoi?" Lulu raised an eyebrow.

"Nagi. What did you say to him?" Rima asked sternly.

"It's not really a big deal. I was just informing him that I saw his mother in France," Lulu murmured, surprised by Rima's curiosity.

"I heard him have a tone with you." Rima sighed. "Look, just don't push him. He's gone through more than any of us. His father caused all of this and used him as the center of his plan. He was in a coma for five months, and just woke up a few days ago. He's still sick. My point is, the last thing he needs is someone getting annoyed at him. So, back off." Lulu watched, as Rima turned over in her sleeping bag. What was her problem?

"Good night Nana," Lulu whispered, drifting off to sleep herself.

**Again, I apologize for the lack of forwardness in the plot. However, I promise, an extremely important chapter is coming up. It's been slow for these first five chapters, but soon, big things will happen. As usual, please review/favorite/alert! It really makes my day. **


	6. Serenity

**Remember when I said I'd have fast updates? Yeah, about that… Well, finals are imminently approaching, and I scarcely have time to do anything non-study related, let along write. On the bright side, there's only three weeks left of school (although that doesn't count finals which means extensive studying and nothing else), so soon I'll have rapid updates! Well, I have been looking forward to these next two chapters. It's where things are going to start moving again. Also, keep in mind that three days have passed since the last chapter. Well, without further ado, I present to you this chapter. I own nothing, and please enjoy.**

* * *

_With family, one is whole. One member of a family is like a piece of a puzzle. With one piece missing, the puzzle is incomplete. They must adhere to each other, fit with each other impeccably. Surrounded by parents and siblings is the safest place to be. Family will be there for you, until the very end…_

* * *

Warmness filled Utau's heart as she looked at the picture of her family. She stood toward the center, a huge grin plastered across her face. She let out a quiet sigh. It had been so long since she uttered any sort of smile. She lived in a world where smiling was rare. One smile was the gold sought for by many. Beside her, likely the catalyst of her glee, stood her brother, a small smile apparent across his smile. If possible, he smiled even less than Utau. She shifted her gaze from the image, turning to her brother who appeared asleep. She knew, however, that it was merely a disguise. Ikuto seldom sleeps anymore. He was clearly faking it. Sighing, she faced the priceless photo. Above the siblings stood their mother, slightly distant from the rest of the family. Utau watched the image of her mother. She had no semblance with the rest of the family. She betrayed them, becoming romantically involved with Kazuomi. It had been over three years since they had contact with their mother. However, the person who stood beside her seemed like a dream. It had almost been eleven years since Utau or Ikuto had any contact with their father. He grinned similarly to Utau, his hands on their shoulders. He looked so much like Ikuto… Tears formed in Utau's eyes. There was nothing more that she missed than their family. They were so compatible with each other. They were the dream family, the perfect family people envisioned…

"It seems so long ago, doesn't it?" Utau jumped, turning to her brother. She knew he was awake, but she was still startled. She merely nodded, exhaling deeply.

"What would have happened he never left?" Utau wondered.

"Most likely, none of this…" Ikuto turned to Utau. She faced her brother as well. "Utau, you know that I'm here for you, no matter what happens. I know we don't have Dad or Mom, but we have each other, and we know that we will never betray each other." Utau uttered a weak smile.

"I would never even dream of it," She whispered. "That's not all we have though. We have our _beloved_ Uncle." Ikuto rolled his eyes.

"For sure," He muttered sarcastically. "Well, we do have Fujisaki." The two of them turned to the violet-haired male who was still asleep. Utau always found Nagihiko the most intriguing of the guardians. She admired his intelligence. She almost pitied him for having to be related to Ikuto and her.

As if on cue, Nagihiko began stirring, his eyes gradually opening. He blinked a couple of times, before smiling at the siblings.

"Is something the matter?" He asked, brushing back his long hair with his fingers.

"No… Why?"

"You guys were staring at me…"

"No, we were just thinking," Ikuto muttered. "You feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I actually feel much better than I have been," He informed them. When they both shot him skeptical looks, he chuckled slightly. "I'm being completely honest. Geez, you two are acting quite like Rima-Chan…"

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Utau told him. "Want to get some breakfast?" Both Ikuto and Nagihiko nodded, following Utau down the stairs. Utau walked over to the coffee machine to make herself some coffee. She filled it up completely, before turning around. When she turned, she saw a familiar jock waiting to fill up coffee. She froze, almost dropping her coffee. He glanced at her for a moment, before looking away quickly. Utau averted eye contact, before carrying her coffee to Nagihiko and Ikuto. Nagihiko gave Kukai a small wave.

"Ikuto, have you spoken to Tsukasa at all recently?" Utau asked, breaking the awkward silence. She really didn't want to focus on Kukai's nearby presence.

"No, not since Valentine's Day," Ikuto admitted.

"Did he tell you anything?" Nagihiko asked.

"Regarding our father? No, not really. The guy's getting old. Besides, his fortunes are pointless and never quite tell the truth. I never believed in that crap anyway. It was just better than nothing."

"It's likely he won't come at all," Utau murmured. "Besides, he might not even be…" She sighed.

"You can't assume that without any proof," Nagihiko reassured.

"We haven't heard one word from him since his departure eleven years ago. Isn't that enough?"

"Well… I'm sure _someone_ would tell you if he died. You said he went sailing, right?" They nodded. "I'm sure he's mentioned you to his crewmen."

"I hope so…" Silence fell between the three relatives. The only sound apparent was the sound of Kukai's footsteps ascending the stairs.

"Utau, this is kind of random, but what made you start singing?" Nagihiko asked. Utau turned to him sharply. "What made you passionate about it?"

"I don't really know…" Utau admitted. "I mean, I guess I always loved it, as corny as that might sound."

"Remember that time when Mom thought that it was from the radio?" Utau laughed slightly.

"That was funny." She turned to Nagihiko. "I was singing once, and my mom was yelling at the radio to stop." Nagihiko chuckled.

"Speaking of singing mishaps, I was once singing quietly, and Baaya was convinced that it was my mom. It sounds kind of lame, but it was just funny the way Baaya-San was so convinced." The three of them chuckled. Suddenly, a loud shriek came from upstairs. The three of them looked up.

"What was that?" Utau wondered.

"It sounded like Yaya…" Ikuto murmured. "Besides, she _always_ screams loudly. "

"Oh wait, I think Rima-Chan mentioned something about playing a prank on her," Nagihiko recalled. The three of them glanced at each other, and suddenly burst out in laughter. There was nothing in particular they were laughing at, but it just seemed so ideal. Footsteps descended the stairs, walking closer to them. After they were finally able to catch their breaths, they found themselves staring up at Tadase. He looked infuriated.

"Good morning Tadase-San," Nagihiko greeted kindly.

"What were you talking about?" Tadase demanded.

"Um… Why do you care?" Utau wondered. "Does this have to do with your aspiration to be ruler of the world, kiddy king?" Tadase frowned, his lower lip extending outward slightly.

"What makes you feel entitled, Nagihiko?!" Nagihiko cocked an eyebrow.

"Entitled to what?"

"Ikuto and Utau are like siblings to me. They always have been. What makes you think you can suddenly barge in and replace me?!"

"Tadase, I'm not trying to replace you. I'm just-"

"You're just what?! Hanging out with my siblings?!"

"Actually, you aren't our brother," Utau murmured. Tadase ignored her, glaring intently at Nagihiko. He was unable to completely comprehend the situation. Tadase, one of the most nonchalant people, was currently steaming at Nagihiko, the least likely to cause a feud.

"First, you forget my birthday, and now you just replace me?! Is that all I am; a waste of space?!" Nagihiko opened his mouth to speak, but Tadase already turned around. He stomped over to the door.

"Tadase, what the hell is your problem!? No one is replacing you!" Utau yelled.

"Really?! Well, I don't see anyone giving a crap about me. Ikuto has replaced me as Amu's girlfriend, Nagihiko as your brother, everything. It's like I don't fucking exist!" Tadase was practically screaming now. Everyone froze, not having ever heard Tadase curse.

"Is everything alright?" Amu, Kukai, and Rima walked over to everyone else. Tadase turned to Amu.

"Thanks Hinamori, for treating me as nothing. I never told you how much I appreciate that." Tadase turned around, and stormed out the door, slamming it behind him.

"What was that?" Yaya, Kairi, Yua, and Lulu joined everyone else.

"I'm going to follow him," Kukai announced, heading out the door immediately.

"Something has changed in him…" Ikuto muttered. "I don't think it's simply out of jealousy for Amu or Fujisaki. There's something more."

"I never knew Tadase to be the one with anger issues," Yua pointed out.

"He's the calmest guy I know…" Nagihiko muttered.

"A likely hypothesis is that he is simply exerting his anxiety of the situation, and…"

"Oh, shut up Kai-Kai," Yaya interjected. All eyes turned to her.

"Kai-Kai? That's almost as bad as Rimzy…" Rima mumbled.

"But Kai-Kai is cute for a cute guy like Kairi-Kun!" Yaya announced. Kairi blushed slightly. Yua watched them, admiring their romance.

"Regardless, I believe Kairi-San was onto something," Nagihiko agreed. "I've known Tadase for a long time, and I've never seen him like that. Just the way he yelled at me and Amu-Chan… it seemed…impossible."

"Well, I'm sure Kukai will figure it out!" Yua put her thumbs up.

"I hope he's okay…" Lulu sighed. Utau raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's been six days since we arrived in Japan, and we haven't had Pocky!" Yua whined. Yaya's eyes sparkled, and she bounced up and down excitedly.

"Yeah, and unfortunately for you, you aren't getting any," Rima pointed out. Yaya and Yua pouted.

"Rima-Tan! You're mean!" Yaya whined. "First, you scream in Yaya's ear, and now you're depriving Yaya of her daily candy!"

"Well, I'm sorry for being realistic. We only have limited money." Lulu frowned.

"Ikuto and I have some money we made that we can spare," Utau observed.

"Yay Utau-Chi! You're the best!" Yaya hugged her tightly. Utau sighed, trying to pry her off of her. Nagihiko chuckled at Utau's reaction. Ikuto went to get the money.

"Well, I'm going to go out for a bit. I'm going to visit my family," Amu announced.

"That is quite risky, Hinamori-San. Many of the suburban streets have reverted into gang hideouts," Kairi informed her.

"I know, but it's been five months. I can't go another minute without seeing them," Amu whispered. Yaya looked at the ground, looking morose. Kairi took her hand.

"Amu, Kairi's right. It isn't safe. There's a reason you haven't gone in five months."

"I know, but… Ami-Chan needs me." Amu croaked. Yaya looked even more upset.

"For the record, it's been even longer for me," Rima realized. "Oh well, what a shame."

"Yeah, I haven't seen my mother or Baaya-San in a while either…" Nagihiko noted. "Well, they are back here as well." Lulu crossed her arms.

"Well, it looks like your Pocky isn't happening." All eyes directed to Ikuto. "All of the money is gone."

"What?!" Utau exclaimed.

"NO THE STRIPPER MONEY!" Yaya cried. Utau and Ikuto shifted uncomfortably.

"Wait…WHAT?!" Yua exclaimed.

"It's a long story," Nagihiko admitted.

"So… Are we back to square one?" Rima muttered, her arms crossed.

"Not necessarily," Utau turned to her cousin. "Fujisaki, you're rich, right?" Nagihiko grew slightly red of embarrassment.

"I-I, um… I guess… I don't think I'll be able to get the money though."

"Aren't you the heir of your family?" Amu inquired.

"Well, yeah, I can try, but…"

"Don't worry about it." Rima's voice softened from its usual harshness. Yaya smirked at the gentleness of her voice. Nagihiko turned to her. "Your mother needs it too. Besides, isn't that basically just a way to bring in thieves?"

"We need money though. We're down to very little," Amu persisted.

"Don't worry about it Rima-Chan. I'll see what I can do." He smiled slightly at her. She smiled back.

"Amu, are you still going to go?" Lulu asked.

"I don't know. I mean, I want to, but you guys are right…"

"Yeah, you're not going," Ikuto stated. Amu looked up at him, sighing.

* * *

"Tadase!" Kukai yelled desperately, searching for him. He ran around town, frantically calling his name. He cursed quietly. He was worried sick about his friend. Tadase's behavior had been completely opposite of his normal self. He had every right to be hurt about his birthday, but his anger was much further than that. Kukai had no idea what was wrong.

"Daichi, do you sense Kiseki anywhere?" Kukai asked his chara.

"No… I don't…" Daichi whispered. Kukai gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe this was happening. Sighing, he ran forward, crashing into someone. Surprised, he fell backward, looking up at the tall man whom he ran into.

"I-I'm sorry!" Kukai cried. "I was looking for my friend, and-"

"Don't worry about it," The man smiled. "Actually, I was wondering if you could help me with something." Kukai sighed, eager to try to find Tadase.

"What's up?" Kukai wondered. The man was extremely tall. He had dark blue hair almost like Ikuto's.

"I was wondering if you knew where Easter Headquarters was. I'm new around here, sort of…" Kukai cocked an eyebrow. Someone looking for Easter? That intrigued Kukai greatly.

"Yeah, I know that place more or less," He muttered sarcastically. "It's that way, just past the park." He pointed to the left.

"Thank you," The man told him.

"No problem. If you need anything, I'll be happy to help. The name's Kukai."

"Nice to meet you Kukai. Thank you for helping." The man turned around. "Oh, and the name's Aruto. Aruto Tsukiyomi." It took Kukai about five seconds to process what he just said. Once he realized, Aruto was already gone. "Oh shit."

* * *

Kukai barged through the door, having jogged all the way home. All eyes glanced up at him, hoping for the whereabouts of Tadase.

"Did you find him?!" Yaya asked.

"No, but…" Kukai turned to Ikuto and Utau, panting heavily. He locked eyes with Utau. She was perfect. He shook his head quickly. He had more important things to do then focus on his sort of ex-girlfriend. "Utau, Ikuto… I-I…"

"What's wrong?" Utau asked.

"…I just met your father."

* * *

**Don't you just miss my twists? Well, they're back! I was planning for this to be much later in the story, but now seemed appropriate. Next chapter, things are going to get quite interesting, I assure you. Please review/favorite/alert! Last chapter, I didn't get as many reviews as I would have liked. I like to have five at minimum for each chapter, and I only got four. Not to whine, but, you know…Review! More review = quicker update. Besides, the next chapter is going to be a turning point in the story… *cough cough* what? **


	7. Family

**I apologize for the delayed update! I'm just pleased I managed to squeeze an update in before I get to the next four finals. I took one final, probably the one I was the most nervous for, and it was super easy so I think I can survive! Anyway, I've been teasing this chapter since, well, last chapter... This is going to be a major chapter. I hope you enjoy, and I own nothing. Onward to Umbrageous Universe chapter 7! Wow, I can't believe we're already on chapter 7...**

"_I just met your father…"_

Time seemed to stop for Utau. She repeated those words in her head. Kukai…met her father? No, it was impossible. It couldn't be… She couldn't breathe. Her father, her lost father who left eleven years ago mysteriously, was just encountered by her ex-boyfriend? No, it couldn't be… It wasn't possible. However, the expression on Kukai's face, desperation and concern, proved that it wasn't a practical joke.

"W-W-What…" Ikuto's voice made it sound as if he was in as much disbelief as Utau was. Utter shock was plastered across his face, as he gaped at Kukai.

"While I was searching for Tadase, I accidentally ran into him. He was looking for Easter, and he told me his name once he walked away, before I had a chance to react," Kukai explained slowly.

"Easter," Utau murmured. She stood up abruptly. "We have to go."

"Utau, you can't just-"Kairi started.

"It's my _father_. The man who I haven't seen for eleven years. You don't get it. I, he…" Involuntarily, tears escaped her eyes, and before she could process what was happening, a flood of tears descended her cheeks. Suddenly, she felt herself be pulled into an embrace. Knowing it was Ikuto, she rested her head on his shoulder. "Ikuto, I can't believe it. Dad's back…He's really back. Our father."

"I still don't believe it… I can't process it…" She realized that her brother's voice was distant. She picked up her head slightly, finding herself looking into Kukai's eyes. Her watery eyes widened, shocked by his presence. He gave her a warm smile that seemed to go through her.

"Utau's right," He whispered, without taking his eyes off of her. "You've spoken so much about your father. You've waited eleven years, and you're done with waiting. I can't say I've gone through that, but waiting that long can only be tiring."

"Why is he at Easter?" Rima wondered.

"Kazuomi," Ikuto spat. "He doesn't know about Gravatus…his brother. He must think that this is a cause of Kazuomi…"

"Let's go already," Lulu murmured. "It's been a while since I saw that disgusting place." Kukai separated from Utau suddenly, glancing at the ground. Utau was still in complete shock.

"Alright, we'll have to move quickly," Ikuto stood up. Everyone complied, following him.

"Yukari, Yuu, we'll be out for a while," Kairi called to the couple who were busy with Ava. Utau stood at the back of the group, walking beside her brother.

"Don't you think he'd want to know?" Utau hissed. Ikuto turned to her skeptically. "Tadase."

"Yeah…" Ikuto's eyes darkened. "I hope we find him soon. That can't be our priority though. We need to see Father first." Utau nodded. She glanced at the ground, walking forward. Each step she took, she couldn't help but to think that she was stepping on the same ground as her father. They were both in Japan now, the same country.

* * *

Aruto arrived outside the building. It had changed so much since the last time he had been there. He would have questioned the boy's instructions, if it weren't for the large sign reading Easter on it. Aruto watched cautiously. Kazuomi probably knew Aruto would return. He was bound to at some point, especially given a circumstance like this. Why would Kazuomi do this? Aruto didn't understand. What motivation could lead someone to developing this? Kazuomi wasn't known to be insane, but to have a company designed to utilize the hearts of children doesn't exactly describe someone mentally stable. However, the person to exit the Easter Headquarters was the last person Aruto could have dreamed of running this company.

"Well, well, it's been a while, my brother." Aruto glanced up, looking at his brother in the eye. Kai Gravatus. That was a name of the past.

"Kai… What are you-"

"Things have changed from when you left."

"I can see that. This… the energy from the X-Eggs; is it caused by Kazuomi?" Gravatus merely laughed.

"Oh Aruto, you're always the one to jump straight into business. Don't you want to know about me at all? It's been eleven years, for god's sake! More like sixteen, since I don't really count that brief period." Gravatus's happiness was quite blatant. He was ecstatic to see his older brother.

"Of course I do, but I believe there are more important matters to attend to. Where is Kazuomi?"

"He quit Easter nine months ago," Gravatus explained.

"But the X-Energy… It had to have been Easter…"

"It was."

"But if Kazuomi doesn't run Easter any longer, then…"

"I am the director of Easter." Aruto stared at his brother. Kai, his little brother, possessing such a large company contained with darkness? No, it couldn't be. He had entrusted his little brother with so much, including his own children.

"So, that means…"

"This world of darkness is all of a result of me. I created this world. I distributed the X-Virus to infect thousands and each person infected would provide more X-Energy for me; for my umbrageous universe."

"Why would you do this?!"

"Why do you think, big brother?"

"You did this so I would return?!"

"Well, that's how it initially began. I wanted to see you. It was all I wanted, until the collection of X-Energy became pleasurable. Watching the guardians suffer has been quite amusing, especially my son."

"Your son… You make him suffer?!"

"Oh, he was essential to my plan, though with his long hair, I'd hardly call him a 'he." Gravatus barked laughter. Aruto remained stoic. "Oh come on brother; you used to be fun."

"Fun? This is all a game to you?"

"I have what I want. Now it's merely amusing." Aruto shook his head.

"You're right; not only has everything changed, but you've changed. I trusted you Kai, but it seems I have no reason to anymore." Suddenly, something dawned on Aruto. "I left you in charge of my children…"

"I can't say your children have remained the same."

"They… They aren't like us, the corruption we had with our parents?" Gravatus simply smirked, making Aruto sigh. "Where are they?"

"I'll show you, if you come with me." Aruto nodded hesitantly, walking forward. To his dismay, he was suddenly knocked unconscious. "Sorry Aruto…" Gravatus whispered.

* * *

A few minutes later, Aruto found himself awake in a dark room. The lighting was dim, but he could make out the outline of two other figures.

"Hello?" Aruto called.

"I presume you've been abducted by Kai as well?" The voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"Yeah, I guess so… How do you know him?" One of the women let out a sigh.

"I was married to him foolishly," She murmured. Aruto's eyes widened. He pondered for a moment, trying to recall her name.

"Fujisaki, correct? Natsumi Fujisaki?"

"Are you his brother?" She asked.

"Yes, although he has changed a great deal since my last encounter with him," Aruto admitted, sighing. He still couldn't process his brother being the boss of Easter, and his children… Aruto sighed. He had tried so hard to give them a normal life. Both of them wanted to pursue music careers. However, it was crushed. It was the Tsukiyomi and Gravatus burden; to live a horrible life.

"You're the reason he changed…" The other woman, Gravatus recognized as Natsumi's housekeeper Baaya, uttered. "After you left, he became an alcoholic. He came home each night really late, and even hit the Young Master…" Aruto nodded. If his reasons had not been so important, he would have regretted leaving…

* * *

"We're here," Amu announced, breaking Utau out of her trance. Her heart began beating rapidly. Her father was inside that building, the place she detested more than anything. She was going to see her father after eleven long years. It was unfathomable. She stood close to Ikuto, knowing he was as nervous as her.

"Stop," She heard someone hiss. She recognized the voice immediately as Kukai. She glanced at him, her eyes widening. Beside him stood Lulu who was currently holding hands with him. She nestled her head on his shoulder, squeezing his hand tighter. He tried to pull away, but he was unsuccessful. Utau momentarily forgot about the presence of her father. She stomped toward the pair of them, her hands on her hips.

"What?" Lulu wondered. "Are you jealous?"

"Lulu, stop…" Kukai muttered.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm holding hands with my _boyfriend_," She sneered.

"Your, _what_?!"

"Lulu, I'm not your boyfriend!" Kukai snapped. "We went on a date, but that doesn't mean-"Utau's eyes widened. Kukai turned to her rapidly, his eyes dilating. He tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she moved away quickly.

"When?" Utau whispered, pain evident in her voice.

"Just yesterday," Kukai whispered. "It wasn't anything, I swear, I…I'm sorry. I realized it was a mistake immediately, I shouldn't have, I-"

"You're entitled." Utau's eyes darkened. "I mean, we are separated. I just… I should have known you'd want someone else, that I was unworthy. I should have known that no one would want to be with a girl who stripped…"

"…YOU'RE A STRIPPER?!" Yua exclaimed, her mouth hanging open. Nagihiko shot her a warning look.

"Utau, no, not at all! You're amazing, and…" Kukai looked upset. "I swear, I-I…"

"He wants me," Lulu wrapped her arms around Kukai. He looked sincerely annoyed. "Sorry, but you shouldn't have ended things. Someone like him is someone you come across once on a blue moon." Ikuto glared at Lulu and Kukai.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Utau yelled, much louder than intended.

"Utau, Lulu, be quieter!" Rima hissed. Utau felt a sudden déjà vu to the time when she and Ikuto were in Rima's house. However, that didn't seem relevant.

"Well, whatever you say to my boyfriend, you say to me."

"I'm not your boyfriend!" Kukai protested. "It was a one-time thing!"

"Fine, well, I have a lot to say to you, and not Kukai." Utau glared at her. "I never liked you, Lulu."

"Can't say I had warm feelings toward you either," Lulu snarled. "Well, why are you wasting time with me? Don't you have to deal with your daddy issues? Well, not that it will be helpful; it's obvious he left you because he didn't love you." Ikuto looked absolutely pissed. Kukai stared at Lulu, horrified. That did it for Utau. She lunged toward Lulu. Lulu fell backward, shocked by Utau's physical behavior.

"You bitch!" Utau spat.

"What happened to caring so much about your father?" Rima wondered, looking extremely bored. Utau ignored her.

A loud crash interrupted Utau and Lulu's fight. Everyone glanced up, looking for the source of the sound. Amu clutched Ikuto's hand tightly.

"What was that?" Yaya whined.

"Let's go check it out," Kukai said rather quickly. Lulu attempted to slide her arm through his, however, he pulled away rapidly. "After all of that, you honestly think I want to? Sorry, but no. What you said to Utau was wrong, and frankly, I'm kind of regretting…" The mere sight of the large bulky man made Kukai's speech immediately cease. His iconic mustache always emitted a dark aura, ironic to the world around them.

"So, my son, niece, nephew, and their friends have showed themselves. How cute." Nagihiko frowned.

"The pleasure is ours," Utau spat sarcastically. She put her hand on her hip.

"Feisty, aren't we? Seems you've learned a thing or two from your daddy." Utau's face paled.

"Where is he?!" Ikuto demanded. Gravatus smirked.

"So, you've heard the news of his arrival as well?"

"Where is he?!" Ikuto repeated, louder this time.

"Wouldn't telling you spoil the fun?" Utau grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and slammed him against the Easter building, despite his large size.

"Tell us," She sneered demandingly.

"You think I'm frightened of you?" Utau kicked him aggressively in the balls. He winced slightly.

"Where is my father?!" Utau demanded.

"Are you sure you want to see him? He might not be proud of the devil you have grown up to be. Do you want your father to see you like you are?" Utau lifted her fist about to punch him, but Gravatus pushed her backward. She fell backward, flying into Kukai's open arms. She glanced up, not smiling in the slightest. She quickly got down.

"If you don't tell us…"

"Am I supposed to be threatened?" Gravatus barked laughter. "Sorry, but you stand no threat to me."

"Maybe not one of us alone, but the group of us is pretty threatening," Amu announced. The guardians, along with Lulu and Yua stood together, completely transformed. Utau and Ikuto followed their example, and stood beside them. Nagihiko let out a remorseful sigh.

"For the record, my transformation is called Melodic Maiden, and Lulu-Chan's is Infinite Dreams, in case anyone was wondering," Yua murmured.

"No one was," Rima bluntly replied. Yua pouted.

"Still not threatened." Gravatus reached in his pockets, and took out two blackened eggs. Nagihiko's eyes widened.

"Temari! Rhythm!" He cried.

"My son's charas provide immense power." He lifted the eggs higher, and allowed for them to release X-Energy. Nagihiko cried out in pain, collapsing to his knees.

"Nagi!" Rima yelled, running beside him. He moaned slightly, allowing Rima to run her fingers through his hair.

"Spiraling Heart!" Amu lifted her baton, and threw it at Gravatus. Unfortunately, it bounced off of an invisible shield, falling straight to the ground.

"What are you even fighting for? Your father?" Gravatus taunted.

"So much more than that," Ikuto growled. "We have everything to fight for, and nothing to lose."

"I wouldn't say that." Suddenly, Gravatus pulled out a gun, and aimed it at the group of them. Everyone flinched. No one knew how to react. Within seconds, Gravatus pulled on the trigger, releasing it rapidly. The bullet aimed straight toward Kukai, much to his oblivion.

"Kukai!" Before he could react, he was shoved to the ground. When he glanced up, he noticed Utau standing tall beside him. It didn't take him too long to process what had just happened. Utau shook slightly, experiencing tremendous pain. Blood seared out of her, flowing at a rapid rate. She fell to her knees, wincing in pain. Kukai sat up immediately, in an attempt to help her. She put her hand on the gash, and bellowed in pain.

"Shh…" Kukai tried to soothe, massaging her shoulders. "You'll be okay, I promise, you'll…" Utau ignored his voice. She stared up at the man holding the gun, a glare across her face.

"If you attempt to do anything to Kukai, or any of them again, I swear…" Utau moaned in pain.

"You swear what? I'm supposed to be threatened by a girl who was shot?" Gravatus barked laughter. Utau ignored him, her teeth clenched. Her vision was beginning to get blurry. However, she did notice something move behind Gravatus. It wouldn't have meant anything to her, if the color of his hair didn't match Ikuto's. She knew that face; a face from her past. She had never actually thought she would see him again. She wanted to seize his attention. However, what could she call him? A father wouldn't have left for eleven years. Was that even what she could call him anymore? She noticed him begin to turn to face her; his daughter. This wasn't how she imagined her encounter with her father in her wildest dreams. She dreamed that she would be singing during one of her concerts, and he would show up. Or, maybe he would show up at their door. She never could have envisioned herself getting shot in the stomach and bleeding profusely in front of her father. She had changed so much since their last encounter. She used to be an innocent girl who only dreamed of being successful. Now, what was she? Did it even matter?

"Kukai." The eyes of her boyfriend diverged right to her. She watched her father, leaning into Kukai. She moaned. "Tell him that…" Everything suddenly turned black, Utau's thoughts and mind fading and being replaced with a motionless corpse.

* * *

**Well, this chapter was actually going to be much longer, but then I was in a Writer's Block because the next part is intense, so I decided to save that for next chapter. So here you go- a really big cliffhanger. Gravatus really is cruel. I know Tadase is still MIA, but he will return soon. Also, Aruto's motivations for leaving will be explained later; maybe it was similar to the motivations of the Europeans invading the Americas because of Christianity or riches or... Don't mind me; I just finished my Global History Final so the information is running in my head. On a more important matter, please review/favorite/alert! Hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Bittersweet

**Good news: I am finally done with finals! The summer is free for constant updates. Although I have many ambitious goals for the summer, I am making this a priority, and you will be seeing a plethora of updates! Now, I don't want to cease your reading experience, since this chapter is quite intense. In my story _Cry of the Wolf_, the chapter that was a huge twist and changing point in the story was called Smile, despite being the most depressing chapter. This chapter, is called Bittersweet, and I can't quite say it is happy. I own nothing, and enjoy.**

* * *

The stars hung high up on the ceiling, looking almost real. It was hard to believe that it was merely a planetarium. The owner of the planetarium sat in one of the numerous chairs, shuffling a set of cards. As he shuffled, he dropped one card. Kneeling down, he picked it up, examining it. It was the Jack of Spades. He eyed it closely.

"Intriguing. This card holds immense power, and carries the burden of the world on its shoulders. He will experience tremendous consequences for his accidental actions. Poor child…" Upon hearing footsteps, he smiled, knowing exactly who it was without looking up. "It was only a matter of time before you showed up."

"I need help…" Tsukasa finally looked up at his nephew. Normally, Tadase always appeared bright and noble, but at the moment, he was a complete wreck. It had been hours since he returned back to his house, and he had many bruises and cuts across his face. The boy who once aspired to be king of the world looked like a monster that surely no king would stand to be around.

"You are lost, aren't you?" Tsukasa placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know what I am anymore. I feel unloved and unaccepted. I know it's primarily my fault, but I…I can't help it. I need to-"

"Especially in a time like this, all people are bound to be lost," Tsukasa whispered. "Motivations for persevering are questioned; you might even ask why we even bother."

"It's hopeless… What is there worth living for anyway?" Tadase muttered, sighing.

"I cannot answer that for you, but you will find out." Tsukasa beamed. "You are a lost ship, wandering aimlessly in the vast sea. I promise you Tadase; you will find your beacon of light soon, guiding you to shore. Just like him…" Tadase's eyes widened, knowing exactly what Tsukasa was implying.

"Aruto! Where…"

"Easter. Your friends are there." Tadase's eyes darkened.

"How can I face them?" He mumbled. "After my ruthless actions and everything I've done… how can I expect them to forgive me? To even look at me and treat me as an equal?"

"They will accept you with open arms. Trust them, for once. Open yourself up. Just go." Tadase nodded, turning to the door of the planetarium. "Tadase-San, everything is going to change." He nodded, hurrying out of the planetarium. Tsukasa glanced back at the card in his hand. "Poor Jack…" He murmured quietly.

* * *

As Utau's body grew motionless and fell to the ground, time seemed to stop. Her eyes were fastened tight, almost peaceful. Kukai couldn't be sure, but it almost seemed she grew paler, although it could just be a figment of his imagination. He stared at her, unable to fathom the events. Gravatus had attempted to shoot him, Utau had saved him. Now, blood seared out of her stomach, and all he could do was watch. He was glued in spot, as Nagihiko and Amu desperately tried to hinder the bleeding. Ikuto held his sister in his arms, looking absolutely horrified and poignant. This couldn't be happening, Kukai tried to reassure himself. It was fake, just a horrible nightmare. That was everything; it was all just a bad dream he would wake up from. He would open his eyes, and everything would be okay. Utau would be smiling down at him, rolling her eyes as usual. There would be no X-Virus, no screwed up world. Everything would just be how it was, basic. However, that wasn't possible. This was reality; this was hell.

"Kukai. Kukai, please!" From the distance, he could hear a voice calling his name. A hand fell on his shoulder. He could visibly notice a silver bracelet with little duck chains on them. Yaya. He had given her that bracelet as a birthday present. Everything had been so simple, so easy back then.

He let out a soft moan. Utau, his girlfriend, no, ex, was lying here. It was his fault. He couldn't deny it. He should have never dumped her. She made a wrong decision, but it shouldn't have jeopardized everything they were. She still loved him, despite his breakup. While she didn't move on, he went on a date with Lulu. How arrogant was he? Now here she was, still loving him. Her actions were to protect him; the boy who broke up with her. She loved him immensely and granted him his life, and all Kukai could do was watch. That's when the tears erupted out of his eyes. He felt so much regret and passion for this girl; he loved her like he never loved anyone. She was his; she was Utau, the best girl he could ever have. And now- here she was, possibly dead. Dead. Utau, dead. No, that wasn't possible; Kukai couldn't process that. She was the strongest girl he knew; she wasn't allowed to die. She endured so much in her life, and now a simple bullet terminated her life, while saving a boy?

"No, no, no, no." He whimpered, falling to the ground and releasing a plethora of tears. They wouldn't make anything better. What was the point of crying? Did they simply express weakness? They aren't reassuring; all they do is make it worse. Crying is a disease, contagious from one person to another. If an individual sheds a tear, another will, and so on. Crying is a disease, and a disease is what brought them here initially.

"What have you done?" Some eyes diverted to the sound of the unfamiliar voice. Kukai didn't care; all that mattered in this horrible world was Utau. The man's eyes were widened, watching the girl on the ground. It was fairly obvious to see a semblance between Utau and the man.

"Aruto, you escaped…" Gravatus exclaimed. Ikuto finally looked up, staring at the man called Aruto. This was Aruto, the father that he had longed for? He should have been excited; he had searched for his father for so long. However, it seemed irrelevant compared to his shot sister in his arms.

"An experienced sailor always carries a few nifty tools," Aruto muttered.

"So, you chose the seas over your family? You'll never get to know her, your daughter. This will be all you remember of her."

"My daughter…." Aruto stared at Utau. "Utau…Tsukiyomi. Wow, she grew up so much. She looks nothing like her mother. She always aspired to be a singer. She had performances every Tuesday. What were they called? The-"

"-Tuesday Tunes," Ikuto finished, darkness concealing his eyes. Aruto turned to him. There were no words that could fully grasp the intensity of the situation. The guardians stayed silent, watching the family reunion intently.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi…" Aruto whispered.

"I have searched for you, spent days, and…here you are…" Ikuto muttered, dismayed.

"What have you done to them, my children?!" Aruto rapidly turned to Gravatus. "You…You _shot_ my daughter! Natsumi was right; you really have changed for the worse…"

"Natsumi?!" Nagihiko exclaimed. "My mother…" Aruto turned to him. Lulu grumbled something under her breath.

"You're Kai's son…My nephew…" Nagihiko nodded uncomfortably. Aruto pondered for a moment. "You all are involved with this, fighting against my brother. What about Sakura Hotori's son…?"

"I'm right here." All eyes turned to the scratched up blonde. Tadase studied Aruto, as if he was seeing something foreign. As he slowly turned his eyes, he noticed the presence of Utau. He ran over to her, glancing at Amu for the first time in months. She shrugged slowly, tears beginning to build up in her eyes.

"So, it's a complete family reunion, well, besides Utau of course." He barked laughter. Ikuto shot him a stern glare.

"You." Ikuto stood up, gently placing his sister down. "You shot my sister." Tadase looked horrified.

"No shit, Sherlock." Ikuto stepped closer to him, the anger boiling out of him. He lunged toward him at a rapid speed, but Gravatus dodged his attack.

"So, we meet again." Natsumi stood outside of the Easter Headquarters, snarling at Gravatus. Baaya stood behind her. Nagihiko watched his family with concern in his eyes.

"Young master!" Baaya exclaimed. Nagihiko walked over to her, hugging her gently. "Are you alright?" She whispered.

"No…not at all," He whimpered, resting his head on his housekeeper's shoulder. Natsumi ignored the presence of her son.

"_Now_ everyone has arrived. I've been waiting for this moment all my life. My family, the people I simply _adore_."

"You're just a bastard," Ikuto muttered, glaring at him. "You have lost everyone that could have even remotely cared."

"Not everyone. I believe your father might beg to differ." Ikuto turned to face his father again. No matter how many times he looked at him, it was still impossible to fathom his return.

"This…this is insanity…" Aruto shook his head. "Kai, y-you _were_ the most levelheaded guy I knew. How could you have changed?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have left! None of this had to happen! It's all your fault!" Gravatus turned to his brother, anger rising. "You left me big brother, you left me alone."

"You were married with a son!" Natsumi retorted. "You weren't alone. You can't blame your brother for-"

"Shut up!" Gravatus lifted his gun, and pointed at Natsumi, quickly pulling the trigger. Within seconds, Natsumi was lying on the ground.

"Natsumi-San!" Baaya cried, letting go of Nagihiko and kneeling beside her. Nagihiko looked horrified, in a state of shock similar to Kukai.

"Nagihiko-San… T-There was a switch inside, and I think…" Gravatus shot her again, to shut her up.

"…Mother…" Nagihiko whispered, falling to his knees. Gravatus pointed the gun to him, much to his oblivion.

"Don't even think about it," Amu growled. A juggling pin slammed onto Gravatus. Rima stood beside Amu, catching the juggling pin again. It had spikes on it. Nagihiko finally glanced up, revealing his tear-stricken face.

"She always pissed me off," Gravatus murmured nonchalantly.

"How can you be so…" Aruto shook his head. "You are a new man, a man worse than our parents. I am ashamed to be your older brother."

Suddenly, a van pulled up nearby. Kairi smiled softly, putting his cell phone away. Yukari stepped out, beckoning them toward the car. Amu and Tadase helped Nagihiko, Kukai, and Baaya to their feet. Ikuto carried Utau and Baaya carried Natsumi.

"Come on," Ikuto whispered to his father.

"I have unfinished business with-"

"Father!" Ikuto begged, desperately. Aruto turned to his son slowly, following him to the car. Gravatus stood in their wake, smirking inwardly.

There were many of them, so they had to squeeze. Baaya sat in the front seat with Natsumi lying on her lap. Kairi, Yaya, Lulu, Ikuto, and Aruto sat in the middle row with Utau sprawled across their laps. In the back, Amu, Tadase, Nagihiko, Yua, and Rima squeezed, with Rima sharing a seat with Nagihiko and Yua and Amu sharing a seat.

"The hospital…" Amu whispered.

"No, we can't," Rima pointed out. "It's overcrowded; they probably wouldn't take us…"

"I don't think Natsumi has a pulse," Baaya murmured quietly. Nagihiko's eyes darkened.

"Do you know CPR? You can attempt to and-"

"Is that mouth-to-mouth?" Yaya interjected.

"Yes, but now's not the time-"

"Everyone shut up!" Yukari yelled from the front. "Mashiro-San is correct; there is no way a hospital will take us in. However, Yuu called his older sister who is a doctor, and she should be there around now. We need to head home." The others nodded, everyone falling silent.

"So Lulu, what's worse: France or Japan?" Yua wondered, as they pulled up into the driveway. Lulu thought for a few moments.

"I don't know, I mean, the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of France, is on the ground in pieces, but this is pretty brutal." The group of them arrived inside, with Yuu's sister greeting them. She looked almost identical to her brother. Yuu stood close by, cradling Ava in his arms. Yuu's sister, Mei, instructed the group to place Utau on one couch and Natsumi on another.

"Everyone back off, please. Only family should remain down here." Everyone nodded. Rima, with much effort to reach him, leaned up to Nagihiko and kissed his cheek. Even in his melancholy and shock, his cheeks gained color. Baaya raised an eyebrow at the petite blonde's actions. Tadase and Amu pulled Kukai away with much effort.

Finally, it was just Nagihiko, Ikuto, Baaya, and Aruto with Mei Nikaidou and the two bodies. Ikuto kept shifting his glance from Utau to his father.

"You grew up too, Ikuto…" Aruto whispered. "You just turned nineteen in December…" Ikuto nodded, shocked that he remembered his birthday and age. "And Utau just turned seventeen in November…" Aruto exhaled deeply. "I take it you two have remained close?"

"Yes… we…we're all we really had," Ikuto muttered. "Mother left with Kazuomi. We were forced to take part in Easter. If it wasn't for-"

"Amu Hinamori." Ikuto stared at Aruto, surprised. "I had access to various Easter sources. Amu Hinamori was the one destined with the Humpty Lock. She was the one who supposedly put an end to Easter's actions. That doesn't go unrecognized."

"Amu-Chan cured the X-Virus…" Nagihiko muttered. All eyes turned to him. "She stopped…me…"

"Gravatus mentioned he utilized your power. I pity you… Well, this Amu Hinamori must be powerful."

"She's….amazing…" Ikuto stared at the ground.

"I have good and bad news." All four of them stared at Mei, expectantly.

* * *

"UTAU! I NEED TO SEE HER! I-AHH!" Kukai struggled to pry out of Amu and Tadase's tight grip. He was shaking uncontrollably, tears pouring out of his eyes. It was a difficult sight to take in, since Kukai was one of the most optimistic and upbeat people.

"We all want to," Tadase muttered quietly. "Kukai, please…" Kukai broke into hysterical sobs, forcing him to stop attempting to escape.

"Please smile Kukai…" Yaya whimpered, hugging him tightly.

"Tadase, you owe us an explanation," Rima muttered, her arms crossed. His eyes diverted to the ground.

"Mashiro-San, now isn't the time…"

"There never will be an impeccable moment. You will simply continue to prolong the inevitable explanation," Kairi told him.

"I…I guess you're right…" Tadase glanced up at them. "I just wanted to start by saying that-" He was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. All eyes looked up at the former Jack.

"Do you know anything?!" Amu exclaimed. He nodded slowly.

"Utau's going to be okay." Kukai looked up, uttering the first smile in hours.

"YAY!" Yaya cheered. Nagihiko didn't smile.

"She is going to need a blood transfusion, of which Aruto is going to supply. She may remain unconscious for a few more days, but she will wake up. Besides, thanks to me, I'm sure you all are acquainted with the idea of waiting a while for someone to wake up…"

"What about your mother?" Rima asked. Nagihiko didn't look at her, but shook his head slowly.

"She's… gone…" His voice cracked, and it seemed empty. No one knew what to say to comfort him. He let out a deep sigh, and retreated to his bedroom.

"Oh god…" Kukai whispered, horrified. "I'm relieved about Utau, but Nagi…"

"Why does this have to happen?" All eyes turned to Yaya. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She sniffled before continuing to speak. "Why must people die? Nagi-Tan's mommy didn't deserve it… She was innocent, but Gravatus shot her, and…"

"Life isn't fair," Rima muttered. "Death happens, and we just need to learn to deal with it. It's harsh, but we live in a time where it's prominent…"

"But Yaya doesn't want to!" Yaya whined. "No one should die! It's not fair! Why can't everyone just live forever?"

"Mortality is inevitable," Kairi murmured, hugging his girlfriend. "If all of humankind was immortal, our Earth would grow overpopulated, and pollution would be augmented. Death must occur, in order to sustain the following generation." Yaya nodded slowly, still sobbing softly.

"That was deep…" Kukai pointed out. "Ugh, everything should just be freaking simple!" Everyone went silent. A few minutes later, Ikuto ascended the stairs. All eyes turned to him.

"My father…Aruto, he's going to stay at his hotel for the night," He explained. "Baaya went to stay with her boyfriend. I presume Fujisaki caught you all up?" They all nodded. "How is he?"

"How would you expect? He lost his mother…" Yua whispered.

"Anything new on Utau?" Amu asked.

"Mei Nikaidou already took the blood from my father. She is preparing it before inserting it into Utau," Ikuto explained. He seemed more nonchalant, relieved to know about her eventual recovery. He turned to Tadase, Kukai, and Kairi. "Could I stay in your room for the night? Fujisaki probably needs some privacy." The three boys nodded. Amu hugged Ikuto, before returning to her room. Tadase lowered his eyes, but didn't seem quite as bothered as usual. No one uttered anything, as they went their separate ways to their rooms.

* * *

**I'm not going to lie; I was nervous about this chapter initially. I've been planning the Nagihiko's mother death for a while now and the shot scene with Utau even longer, so I was worried about how it would come out. However, if I say so myself, I believe it was successful. I hope it was a relief to not leave a cliffhanger. I guess it's a tad bit late to warn you all about character deaths... Please review/favorite/alert! I hope this was successful!**


	9. Grieving

**So, these past few chapters have been pretty intense, so I decided I'm going to make this one a bit lighter and much less eventful. I have written out a later part of this story, which obviously I'm not telling you what it is because spoilers, but as a result, I worked out that this story is going to contain an abundance of intense scenes. I'm not just going to jump from intense/big part to another. Well, this chapter, if you adore Ikuto, then you are in luck! Also, Nagi fans, there will be much of him, although that's basically been this entire story so far… I own nothing, except Gravatus and the X-Virus, and enjoy!**

* * *

_ Easter always believed that the ends always justified the means. Kazuomi believed retrieving the embryo for Hikaru was essential, even if it meant manifesting Ikuto as Death Rebel. He was drowned in darkness when being manipulated as Death Rebel. His soul was hardly even there. It was regarded as the ultimate plan; impossible to be stopped. The embryo would be received for Hikaru. As long as the guardians played their appropriate role and Ikuto constantly created X-Eggs, it was unstoppable. However, Amu was far too powerful for this plan to run accordingly. The light from Amulet Fortune overpowered the darkness of Death Rebel. Amu's tender, yet tight embrace opened Ikuto to the light, restored him to what he truly was. Kazuomi believed that his ultimate plan was ruined. However, it would take him only a few months and the reunion with Kai Gravatus to realize that the use of the darkness for Death Rebel was simply the basis of something much vaster; something deemed to be impossible to stop. Utilizing the power of X-Energy for the X-Virus to change the world was something that could not be ceased by a simple hug._

* * *

Ikuto had been unable to sleep for a few days now. Especially given his father's return and the state of his sister, he did not even attempt to sleep. Instead, he sat on the roof of Yukari and Yuu's house, reminiscing everything. His father, the man he sought for eleven years finally returned. Now that he knew Utau would make it, Ikuto can fully mull over the return of his father. However, it didn't seem possible. He didn't look too different from the past. Ikuto never really thought he would see Aruto again. It was a dream he had, but he never thought it was actually possible. Now that he saw him, _spoke_ with him, it didn't seem any more real. So many questions ran through his mind: Why did he leave? What happened to him? Why couldn't he come back sooner? His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. He turned rapidly, surprised to find someone else on the roof.

"Hey, can I join you?" Ikuto slowly nodded, watching the auburn-haired boy sit behind him. He gave Ikuto a warm smile, as he rested his head on his arms. "It's quite sunny out, isn't it?" Ikuto glanced up at the shining sun. It had been a long time since there was such a sunny day, so it seemed. The sky should have been pure blue, if it weren't for the blotches of black.

"What are you doing up early?" Ikuto asked Kukai.

"I couldn't really get too much sleep," Kukai admitted, sighing. "I doubt anyone was really." Silence fell between the two of them.

"I presume you know everything?" Ikuto wondered.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm super relieved about Utau, but I feel horrible for Nagi. He's already enduring so much. I mean, first Gravatus uses him for his 'ultimate' plan and is his son, then he wakes up after a five month coma, and now this…" Kukai sighed. "Utau's not going to be unconscious for that long…right?"

"I don't think so, but I don't know," Ikuto muttered. He thought about what Kukai said about Nagihiko. For someone who has dealt with much in his life, Ikuto had no idea how Nagihiko could possibly cope with this. A parent loss is hard enough, but dealing with his father being absolutely insane and this entire world on top of it shouldn't be possible.

"Hey… I…" Ikuto turned to Kukai. He took a deep breath, before continuing to speak. "What happened with Lulu and me; I-It was nothing, I swear. I was feeling pretty down about everything with Utau, and she just sort of came onto me. I guess it was Yua who really pushed her, but I… I wasn't going to pursue it, I swear, I-"

"I'm not accusing you," Ikuto muttered. Kukai exhaled. "Telling me your apology doesn't mean anything. I'm not the girl you claim to love."

"Well, it's a bit difficult to tell her…" Kukai murmured. "Sorry, I just… I just wanted to let you know. Utau means the world to me."

"I know. Kukai, I know it was hard on you what she did, but… don't blame her; blame me." Kukai looked at Ikuto surprised. "We needed money. I should have forced her to stay back; I could have handled it alone. Each time she went to the club, I could visibly see how much it pained her. I hated knowing how vulnerable and uncomfortable she was doing it, yet I didn't urge her to stop."

"Even if you had tried harder, you know her; she never would have stopped. That girl is the most determined person I have ever met. Besides, she cares a lot about you and looks up to you."

"She cares about you too, more than she'll ever say. She's quite vocal about her opinion of me, but she loves you immensely. Each time she entered that strip club, it was a dagger to her heart. She won't be doing that again."

"You can't do it either," Kukai told him.

"We lost most of our money… There's no way we can ask Fujisaki for some money, given his situation." Kukai nodded in acknowledgement.

"Yeah, but… Your dad's back. I doubt you want to make an impression by stripping. Besides, you'll break Amu's heart. I'm sure it hurts you as much as it hurts Utau." Ikuto crossed his arms.

"You might be right. Besides, honestly, money isn't quite as prominent of an issue as Utau's safety and Gravatus." Kukai nodded.

"You know, I never expected to fall in love." Kukai smiled up at the sky. "I had this childhood friend, Sion… God, I hope she's okay. Anyway, I had a minor crush on her, although she was, like, four years older."

"Age shouldn't stop you…" Ikuto muttered. "Four years isn't a lot..."

"Anyhow, I never believed I'd become so attached to a girl. Even when I first met Utau, I thought she was some creepy evil Easter singer who was obsessed with her brother." Ikuto smirked slightly, realizing how far the two of them had gotten. "But now… I love her more than I thought was possible…" Kukai shook his head rapidly. "I should be where she is now. I should have been the one to take the bullet."

"You probably wouldn't have made it. Utau will make it. She can be reckless, but she is hardly dumb. This confirms how much she means to you. She won't take a bullet for just anyone."

"I guess you're right. Should we get something to eat? Like breakfast?"

"Sounds fine." Ikuto stood up, and helped Kukai to his feet. Kukai smiled at him.

"Hey Ikuto… I wanted to thank you. Maybe one day, assuming we make it out of this dark world alive, you'll be my brother-in-law, and honestly, I wouldn't mind that." Ikuto frowned.

"Just because you and Utau love each other immensely, doesn't mean that I'm allowing you to marry her. She's still my little sister."

"I'm not saying right away!" Kukai held his hands up in innocence. "I'm just saying, one day in the future..."

"The far off future," Ikuto amended. The two of them entered the house, and went downstairs to get breakfast. Kukai walked over to the coffee machine to make himself some coffee. Ikuto got himself a piece of toast, and ate it. He sat down on one of the couches, glancing over at his unconscious sister. She was lying peacefully, a blanket covering her gunshot wound. With the blanket, one would infer that she was simply resting.

"Can't say she doesn't look cute," Kukai admired, walking over to them. He smiled at his girlfriend. "I was pretty foolish to be mad at her."

"Yeah, you were," Ikuto agreed. Kukai narrowed his eyes at him.

"Morning boys!" Yua bounded down the stairs, grinning immensely. Rima and Kairi shortly followed.

"Any changes?" Kairi inquired.

"No." Ikuto muttered, sighing.

"She'll be okay, we know that! Everyone put on your happy faces!" Yua grinned. Kukai grinned as well, but no one else did.

"Smiling is pointless unless prompted with a valid reason," Rima muttered.

"Are you always so cold?" Yua whined.

"Yeah, basically." Yaya bounced down the stairs, skipping five in a row. She landed flat on her feet, and curtsied.

"Yaya you could have gotten hurt!" Kukai scolded.

"But it was fun!" Yaya whined at her brotherly figure.

"I guess I would have done the same, so I can't reprimand you…" Yaya walked over to Kukai, and they performed their usual handshake.

"How do they keep track of that?" Yua wondered. Rima and Kairi both shrugged.

"I presume your father is returning at a later time?" Kairi wondered.

"Probably, I mean, I'm sure he's going to check on Utau," Ikuto muttered, crossing his arms. "I wouldn't mind seeing him myself…"

"Iku-Tan can have some daddy time!" Yaya smiled. "Yaya's jealous; Yaya misses her Daddy…"

"Don't worry Yaya; you'll see them soon. I miss my dad as well." Kukai soothed.

"I don't miss my father. All he does is argue with my mother. However, if we're naming more people who miss their father, I can guarantee Nagi is last on that list…"

"Nagi sees his daddy too much! Yaya hates Nagi's dad!" Yaya whined.

"Who doesn't?" Kukai muttered. "He's the reason that…" All eyes diverted to the nearby unconscious girl.

"Do not fret Souma-Kun; she will awake in a short period of time." Kukai nodded.

"Kairi-Kun, why do you speak so…fancily?" Yaya wondered.

"Is that even a word?" Rima wondered.

"I suppose my constant usage of eloquence correlates to the informality of my family. As you are acquainted with, Yukari is anything but formal."

"If Yaya has a baby, it better not speak like its daddy, although it's kind of hot," Yaya murmured. Rima stifled a giggle, and Kairi turned dark red. Kukai looked absolutely horrified.

"Yaya, you are _not_ allowed to have babies!" He exclaimed. "You are way too young to be discussing children! Yuck." He shuddered. Ikuto watched him, reminding him of how he was overprotective of his sister.

"Anything new with Utau?" The voice alone made Ikuto glance up. He frowned slightly, noticing who she stood beside. He tried to shake off the jealousy; it was childish, and he knew that there was no chemistry between Amu and Tadase anymore. However, it went deeper than that. He didn't even know if he could trust Tadase any longer. He distinctively remembered Tadase's rudeness directed to Amu both times when he left the house. He specifically told Amu that he was not satisfied with "just friends" and he wanted to restore their romance.

"Not really," Kukai admitted, sighing. "Nikaidou's sister did the whole blood transfusion-thing. I guess now we just have to wait…" Amu nodded slowly, sitting beside Ikuto. She gave him a reassuring smile, as she slid her arm through his. Ikuto glanced over at Amu, uttering the tiniest smile. Even Tadase seemed surprised by this action. He sat beside Yua on the other couch.

"People should stop falling unconscious!" Yaya whined.

"Because they can totally control that," Rima muttered sarcastically.

"Where's Lulu?" Yua wondered suddenly.

"Last I checked, she's still asleep," Amu explained. "I guess Lulu's the only one able to sleep."

"Nagi-Tan isn't here; maybe he's asleep!"

"Yaya, I can guarantee he's not asleep," Rima told her. "How could anyone sleep after everything that happened?"

The knocking on the front door made everyone glance up. Ikuto stood up suddenly, sliding his arm out of Amu's. He knew exactly who was here. As he opened the door, he was surprised to not only see his father but Baaya as well. His father gave his son a smile.

"Where is the Young Master? I wish to speak with him," Baaya said politely.

"He's upstairs," Amu announced. Baaya thanked her, going up the stairs. Aruto glanced at Amu, studying her for a moment.

"I've seen your face scattered around Easter. You're their biggest antagonist; Amu Hinamori." Amu turned bright red.

"I-I wouldn't say that! I-I mean, the others are really more helpful then me, I-I just…"

"She's being modest," Ikuto muttered. "Almost all of the purifications of the X-Eggs and X-Virus are a result of her. Without her, it is quite likely that I wouldn't be standing here right now, and I never would have gotten the chance to speak to you." Aruto chuckled slightly. Amu turned a deeper shade of red, having been complimented by Ikuto.

"I was hoping to speak to you, Ikuto."

"Sure. We might as well go outside to…" Ikuto grabbed his sweat shirt, and left the house with his father. Ikuto directed them to a café. As they walked there, silence fell between the two of them. He didn't know how to break the silence. This was the man that he had sought for eleven years.

They sat down at a private table in the café. Ikuto stared at his father, unsure how to begin. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he didn't know how to begin.

"I know it's been a long time. My initial goal wasn't going to be that long. It pains me that I couldn't be there to watch the two of you grow up and mature, but unfortunately it was necessary. Do you… still play the violin that I gave you?" Ikuto nodded slowly. "You were always quite talented. I take it Utau pursues singing?"

"Before all of this, she was getting famous," Ikuto muttered.

"I always knew she would. That girl had one hell of a talent. I wonder where she got it from, I mean, neither of her parents could sing." Silence fell for a moment. This was not how Ikuto pictured their reunion at all. He was supposed to be extremely excited and it should have been friendlier. Maybe that was simply how he envisioned their reunion in his youth. His father was right; he had matured and gotten older. Meeting his father was no longer something so simple.

"W-Where did you go?" Ikuto wondered.

"Many places. All across the world really. I always wanted to travel, and well, I sure saw the world."

"I searched for you. I didn't get too far though, since Kazuomi and Gravatus abducted me, but I was in France briefly…Were you ever there?"

"No, not for a while. You weren't there when I was for sure."

"Why did you leave?" The question slipped out of Ikuto's mouth before he could stop himself. He felt youthful again and suddenly, curiosity possessed him. "Why did you look all over the world? What were you looking for? Why couldn't you take Utau and me?" Before Aruto could respond, the sound of shattered glass was heard. They glanced up, seeing a man holding a gun to the cashier. The cashier quickly entered the code to open the register. Aruto stood up rapidly.

"Father wait!" Ikuto hissed. "You can't just recklessly dive in. This happens frequently lately, it's dangerous…" Ignoring him, Aruto walked forward. Ikuto sighed. "Now I see where Utau has inherited her rash behavior…" He muttered quietly.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" The man pointed his gun at Aruto.

"Get out, or I'll shoot," The man warned.

"Oh, is that a threat? I fear for my life." The sarcasm was apparent in Aruto's voice. Ikuto was shocked at his father's behavior. The man held the gun firmly in his hand. "If threats are the way you want to play, so be it." Aruto pulled out two knives, and through one inches away from the man's face. It hit against the wall. "Now, I'd back off, or I'll aim closer to your heart."

"Y-Yes sir!" The man immediately left, dropping his gun. Aruto lifted the gun momentarily, placing it in his pocket. Ikuto watched, horrified. _This_ was his father?! He suddenly saw the semblance to Gravatus, how charismatic he could be. He could visibly tell they were brothers, except that his father was good and Gravatus was worse than evil.

"Captain, I thought I recognized you!" The cashier exclaimed. Aruto smiled up at the man.

"Ah, Remura-San. I'm pleased to see you." He motioned for Ikuto to walk over. He complied, stepping beside his father. "This is my son, Ikuto." Ikuto felt pleased inside, always dreaming of his father introducing him that way.

"Your father speaks of you frequently. I am one of his crewmen." He turned to Aruto. "I decided to get a job here after we crash-landed. I could use a break though. Care for a drink?"

"Gladly." Aruto turned to face his son. "We'll finish our talk later." Ikuto frowned, watching his father walk away. His father was clearly not the type to stick around for long. Sighing, he decided to head on home.

* * *

Nagihiko sat on his bed, watching the window. It had been so difficult for him to fathom his mother's death. He wondered where his life would move now. He would no longer be required to dance, no more cross-dressing, as Rima kindly put it. Would he stop? He adored dancing, but did he enjoy the hours spent training, the year-long trips to Europe to train even further?

His thoughts were interrupted by the gentle knocking of the door. He glanced over, surprised. No one had even attempted to talk to him ever since yesterday's news. He wondered if he was ready to face people. To his dismay, it was Baaya who entered the room. She didn't smile, as she sat beside him.

"Baaya-San, I wasn't expecting to see you," Nagihiko started.

"I needed to talk to you," Baaya told him. "Staying here in Japan… It is becoming quite overwhelming. My boyfriend and I have decided to fly back to France. I trust you will be alright here with your friends?" The thought of Baaya departing seemed overwhelming. She was the last family member he had left that he knew, with the exception of the Tsukiyomis and Gravatus. However, Nagihiko suddenly realized something she said.

"Baaya-San, if you don't mind my asking… since when did you have a boyfriend?" Nagihiko wondered.

"Since when did you have a girlfriend, Young Master?" Baaya bounced the question back to him. Nagihiko's face flushed, remembering Rima's affection the previous day. He had not even thought about how Baaya would react.

"I-It's recent… I-I, um…"

"You know your mother would not be pleased." Nagihiko bowed his head. He was far too sick throughout his relationship to focus on how much his mother would have cared.

"I know," He mumbled.

"It would be disrespectful to disobey her after her death." He didn't respond. Baaya stood up, heading toward the door. Nagihiko glanced over to her.

"Baaya-San, you know there is room for you here, and, um, your boyfriend… You don't have to leave."

"Yes I do. I need some space from here."

"When will you come back?" Baaya let out a long sigh.

"I don't know," She admitted. "Young Master, while we're in Paris… the body will be brought there as well. Your mother always loved Paris, so I figured the funeral should be held there. I don't expect you to attend, but I thought you should know." He nodded slowly.

"I'll miss you…" Nagihiko admitted, sounding slightly younger than his age. Baaya gave him a poignant smile, and allowed for him to embrace her gently.

"There is something more I have to tell you. It is important." Nagihiko nodded, letting go of her. "Now that your mother has passed away, there is nothing between you and the Fujisaki family's fortune. Young Master, you are officially the heir of the Fujisaki family." His face paled. All of his life, he knew that he would be burdened with this responsibility, but he would have never speculated that his mother would have died so soon.

"Y-Yes… I understand." Baaya handed him a key.

"This key will unlock the account holding the Fujisaki treasures. I will no longer be around to monitor your actions, so be wise with the money." Baaya turned toward the door. "Goodbye Nagihiko… I truly will miss you." Nagihiko watched as Baaya exited the room. All that she had told him seemed surreal. He placed the key in his pocket, and hugged his knees to his body. Why did Baaya have to leave so suddenly? It didn't seem fair, that she could simply escape everything so simply, yet he couldn't. He thought about everything she told him. He knew his mother wouldn't be pleased with his relationship. He knew the respectful thing to do would be to oblige to his deceased mother's wishes. However, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Rima meant the world to him, and he loved her more than words could describe. Out of the crack of his door, he noticed her frowning at someone, probably Yaya. Even if his mother would be ashamed, and Baaya was ashamed, he wasn't going to terminate his relationship.

The door opened again suddenly, interrupting Nagihiko's thoughts. Kukai entered, smiling softly. He sat beside Nagihiko, the same spot Baaya did.

"Hey Nagi… I wanted to talk, if that's alright with you?"

"Go ahead."

"I…" Kukai looked at his friend. Nagihiko didn't return the glance. "I'm sure you've heard the whole 'I'm sorry' thing to death, huh?"

"People have been giving me space for the most part, but yeah, it's been said a lot," He admitted. Kukai nodded slowly.

"So, uh, did Baaya say anything?"

"Yeah." Kukai waited for Nagihiko to continue. He sighed. "She's going to Paris with her boyfriend…" It occurred to him that she never answered his question regarding her boyfriend. He shrugged it off.

"I'm sorry man. You know she'll come back though."

"She doesn't know how long she'll be gone for… She also…" Nagihiko sighed, and lowered his voice. "My mother once told me that I can never date. I was going to have an arranged marriage when I turned sixteen. Baaya happened to see Rima-Chan… She was kind of hard on me for it…" Kukai patted his head.

"You like Rima though. She makes you happy."

"If my mother knew how much Rima-Chan meant to me, how much I…love her… my mother would have been ashamed of me…" Tears cascaded gently down Nagihiko's cheeks. Kukai hugged him.

"You can't respect every wish. For god's sake, if you did that, you wouldn't even be a guy that Rima _could_ love…" Nagihiko chuckled lightly.

"That's true… You're probably right. I have no intentions of breaking up with her, just for wishes that a dead person had." It came out much crueler than he had intended. More tears flowed down, causing him to sniffle slightly. Nagihiko leaned his head on Kukai's shoulder. Kukai's eyes darkened at the breaking up comment. "You know, I almost wish I could have been born into your family. I would have loved to be your little brother." Kukai laughed.

"You don't mean that Nagi. You love your mother, even if she forced you to dress as a girl and forbade you from dating. Baaya's pretty cool too."

"Can't say anything for my father…"

"No, not really," Kukai admitted. "But you have awesome cousins!"

"Gosh Kukai, you hear these stories on the news all the time, or heard I guess when the news wasn't about the world going down, these stories about crazy parents murdering the other. Normally, one would always watch in horror, but that's my life now…"

"I wouldn't consider your father a parent. Maybe he is blood-related, but he never cared for you, and only made your life worse…" Nagihiko nodded.

"He's the only parent I have now…"

"You have your uncle? Ikuto was with him before."

"I barely even know Aruto. Besides, he isn't exactly number one dad either, after leaving for eleven years."

"That's true…"

"I stand by wishing I could be with your family."

"My parents are annoying!" Kukai whined. "Though, I do miss them…"

"I'll take annoying over murdering. Or dead."

"Hey Nagi. Even if you aren't apart of my family, you still can be my lil' bro; you already are anyway. Yaya isn't really related to me, nor is Tadase. You know that I'm your older brotherly figure." Nagihiko smiled softly.

"Kukai, my mother did mention something before she you know…" Kukai glanced at him. "She said something about a switch. If memory serves me correct, you mentioned something about a switch when you were explaining everything that happened when I was in Berserk Phase."

"Yeah! That was the thing that Rima destroyed in an attempt to slow you down. It didn't work, but Gravatus seemed pretty pissed…"

"It's destroyed, but it seemed important. Gravatus…shut her up right away when she spoke of it. It might be something useful to look into."

"Yeah definitely! Nagi you should get some rest. I doubt you've been sleeping."

"Has anyone?"

"Lulu apparently…" Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. "I promise that the relationship, if you could call it that, between Lulu and me is _long_ over. I love Utau. And I cannot wait to let her know when she wakes up." Nagihiko smiled at Kukai.

"Oh, also, I'm now the heir of my family, so if you still need money, I have access, and…"

"Don't worry about that now! You have way too much on your shoulders! Chillax!" Nagihiko raised an eyebrow at Kukai's combination of words. He patted Nagihiko's head, grinning, before exiting the room. Nagihiko waited a few minutes, before sitting upright again.

"I know you were eavesdropping," He muttered. Gradually, the petite blonde revealed herself, having been hiding behind a bookcase.

"How did you-"

"You're short, but not quite as elusive as you might believe. Besides, I know you well enough by now to realize you enjoy eavesdropping on others," He teased. Rima frowned, crossing her arms.

"You didn't mention you weren't allowed to date me."

"I wasn't really concerned with what I was allowed and not allowed to do while I was sick," Nagihiko admitted.

"Oh." Her face softened, as she watched him. "How are you coping?"

"The best I can," He muttered dryly. "Obviously, I'm not content with everything, but I'm alright…"

"Kukai's probably right; I should leave you to relax."

"No, it's fine. Really. I relaxed for a whole five months."

"That doesn't mean you don't need to relax." She walked a bit closer.

"I probably need as much sleep as you do. I doubt you've been sleeping too well."

"I'm not the one who got sick again briefly, lost their mother to their evil father who ruined their life, is suddenly the heir, and has their housekeeper moving to France." Nagihiko's eyes darkened.

"Please, don't remind me." He sighed.

"Sorry…"

"No worries." He reached out and took her hand. She gladly allowed him to, their fingers intertwining.

"So Nagi, how much do you actually love me?" Nagihiko raised an eyebrow. "I heard you say to Kukai 'if my mother knew how much I loved her.' So, how much?" He blushed.

"Can we leave it at a lot?"

"I want a specific number."

"A number? I don't think love is something measured in a numeric system…"

"Then how would you measure love?" Rima smiled at him, waiting for an answer.

"Love isn't exactly a tangible object. I don't think it is something that is measured per say, but more of just an emotion. It's more of a state of being. For example, if you are angry, you don't really measure your anger; you just are angry." Rima watched him.

"You know, I kind of know what Yaya means by eloquent speech being hot." Nagihiko's face heated up. They leaned closer to each other, their noses touching.

"Rima-Chan, if you think eloquence is hot, then does that mean you find Kairi-San attractive as well?" Nagihiko whispered, his breath on her lips.

"EW!" Rima exclaimed, backing up. Nagihiko started to chuckle. "N-No! He's a really good friend, but I'm not attracted to him!"

"Just confirming." He smiled.

"MY GOD, DO YOU TWO EVER STOP FLIRTING!" Both of them turned bright red at that comment, presumably uttered by Kukai.

"I guess that's my cue to leave…"

"Alright, mind hitting Kukai for me? Okay, maybe I should be nice to him, since he did a great job at comforting me." Rima smiled.

"I'll hit him anyway," She promised. They moved closer to each other, kissing. Nagihiko wrapped his arms around her, and she placed her arms on his back. Instantly, Nagihiko's mood increased. Rima tended to have that effect on him, always providing him with a sense of serenity and happiness. Their kiss lasted for a decent amount of time; almost five minutes. Finally, Rima ended it, blushing profusely. Nagihiko's face matched hers. She gave him a smile, with a mixture of giddiness and pity, as she left the room. Nagihiko laid on his back, thinking about her. She was one of the only people that could make him feel how he did and make his smile irremovable. Despite what his mother might have desired, he knew that he cared about her far too much to let her go so simply. Rima meant the world to him, and he couldn't even come close to fathoming what it would be like to lose her.

* * *

**AWW RIMAHIKO FLUFF. AND KUKAHIKO. I KIND OF SHIP THE SECOND ONE, BUT RIMAHIKO IS SUPERIOR BECAUSE OF THEIR FLUFFINESS AND CUTENESS. KUKAHIKO I SHIP AS A BROTHERLY RELATIONSHIP, ALTHOUGH I WOULDN'T BE AGAINST A YAOI COUPLE, JUST NOT WITH NAGI BECAUSE OF THE EXISTENCE OF RIMAHIKO. Anyhow, now that I've calmed, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was pretty uneventful, but I needed to set up for future events and establish relationships. Also, if you have the time and like this story and my writing, please check out my new story Alluring Nightmare. I'm beginning to get obsessed with it like I am with this. While I'm on the topic of my stories, also check out my third ongoing story, Betrayal, but more importantly Alluring Nightmare. Well, please review/alert/favorite! The next chapter should be up soon, and will be more eventful (not quite as intense as the last one).**


	10. Awakening

**This chapter took me much longer than I would have liked. There were many reasons for the delay, including slight Writer's Block, my new story Alluring Nightmare (read?), Animal Crossing New Leaf, my new addiction to the game Candy Crush, and also the fact I have a life (shocking right?). I'm not 100% fond of how this chapter came out, but it's necessary to set up for what will be happening soon. I own nothing, and enjoy! This chapter takes place a week after the last, in case of confusion.**

* * *

Utau's eyes fluttered open suddenly. She blinked many times, focusing on the world around her. She found herself gazing up at the ceiling, the fan spinning rapidly around her. She turned her head, looking at the room surrounding her. She recognized it as Yukari and Yuu's living room. As she attempted to move into a sitting position, she discovered an excruciating pain in her stomach. She cringed and remained in her resting position. Slowly, she lifted the bottom of her stomach, revealing bandages surrounding her stomach. Memories suddenly flooded her mind. She remembered Gravatus lifting the gun toward Kukai and her instinctive action to save him. She also remembered seeing a figure right before she lost consciousness.

"Father!" She exclaimed quietly. She knew that it was him. The dark-blue hair was way too similar to her brother's hair for it to be anyone else. She wondered where he was now. Could he be staying here also?

She soon heard footsteps descending the steps. She was completely stunned to recognize the blonde-haired boy. There were many gashes across his face. Last she remembered, Tadase had stormed out, and Kukai had to go out and find him, but he had come across Aruto instead.

"Tadase…" Tadase turned, nearly dropping the bowl of cereal he was holding. His shock quickly changed into a small smile.

"Utau, you're awake?!" He asked.

"Oh, I don't know, am I awake? I'm not really sure, considering I'm speaking," She muttered sarcastically. Tadase smiled softly, sitting down beside her once she curled up her legs.

"Well, I'm certainly glad to see you're up. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," She lied, ignoring the pain. "How long was I out for?"

"A little more than a week," Tadase informed her. "A lot has happened since you've been out. We found…"

"My father." Utau faced Tadase eagerly. "Where is he?!"

"Well, similarly to your brother, he tends to just come and go. He's the reason you're here now. Nikaidou-Sensei's sister was able to perform some sort of blood transfusion and your father supplied the blood," Tadase explained. It didn't surprise Utau that he wasn't predictable. How could someone predictable be absent from her life for eleven years? However, it was refreshing to know that he helped her live.

"He shot me, Gravatus I mean. My father saw that, didn't he?"

"He saw it all, even when Gravatus shot Natsumi."

"Who's Natsumi?" Utau wondered. Tadase lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Nagihiko's mother," He whispered quietly. "Gravatus's ex-wife. She was with Aruto-San and was shot. Unlike you though, she wasn't as fortunate…"

"Oh god, Fujisaki lost his mother?!" Utau exclaimed. Tadase nodded glumly.

"He's shaken up by it, but he's doing his best to stay strong." Utau thought for a moment.

"Poor kid. It sucks he has to be related to the Tsukiyomi family; we're a beacon for trouble to come." Tadase's eyes widened slightly. Il and El floated over to Kiseki.

"Tadase, where are you going?" Amu's voice was always recognizable. Tadase turned to her, and to Utau's dismay, he uttered a small smile. Nagihiko stood beside Amu, shooting Tadase a smile.

"Huh? I was just getting cereal." He held up the bowl to prove his point.

"Tadase, where did you get that cut?" Nagihiko asked.

"I already told you yesterday," He reminded him. "I was taking a walk to get more groceries, but then I tripped and-"

"Tadase, we want the truth," Nagihiko interjected. Utau watched the group of them. She wasn't surprised that they didn't trust Tadase, due to his constant departures.

"I swear, I'm not lying, I-"

"Don't be an idiot Tadase." All eyes turned to face her, in complete surprise, with the exception of Tadase.

"Utau, it's great to see you up!" Nagihiko exclaimed. Amu grinned, and hugged her tightly. Utau cringed in pain.

"Ow! Amu!" Amu quickly let go.

"Sorry… Right, your stomach…" Utau gritted her teeth, attempting to relieve the pain to no avail. Utau sat up straight, and glanced over at Nagihiko. He smiled at her, but Utau knew that he couldn't be feeling so bright on the inside.

"How are you feeling?" Nagihiko asked kindly.

"Amu made the pain a bit less tolerable, but it could be worse, as you would know," Utau muttered, saying the last part quietly. His eyes darkened, having heard her.

"I, um, guess you're all caught up?"

"Yup. Fujisaki, how are you holding up?"

"Fine," He answered bluntly. He didn't seem too eager to discuss his mother's death. "You have to let Ikuto know you're awake! He hasn't slept since you fell unconscious a week ago. Kukai, as well, has been extremely worried.

"I'll go visit them then," Utau announced, standing up slowly. She did her best to conceal the pain she endured from that simple action, and continued to walk up the stairs. Once she reached the top, she panted heavily.

"Oh, you're awake." Utau glanced up, seeing Lulu with her hand on her hip. To say the least, Utau loathed her. Not only did she like her when Lulu worked for Easter, but she hated how she acted around Kukai.

"Oh? Why the lack of enthusiasm?" Utau wondered with mock hurt. "After all, I was shot in the stomach, after saving the _love of my life_." Lulu frowned.

"Excuse me, I'm trying to- Oh, Utau!" Yua came out of her room and hugged her. Utau tried to pry her off, but it hurt much less than Amu, since Yua hugged her from the back.

"YAY UTAU-CHI IS AWAKE!" Yaya bellowed, hugging her tightly as well. Now, Utau's stomach was causing her immense pain. She winced in pain, as the weight of Yua and Yaya forced her to topple to the ground face first.

"Did everyone just magically forget that I was shot?" Utau muttered quietly. She shoved Yua and Yaya off, and slowly stood.

"UTAU!" Kukai yelled, running over to her. Utau groaned slightly, knowing she was going to receive another tight embrace, although the fact that it was Kukai made it better.

"Don't hug her tightly Souma; her stomach is probably hurting." The voice alone made Utau smile warmly. Ikuto stood by the doorway to his room, smirking inwardly with his arms crossed. Kukai nodded, and gently embraced her. She rested her head on his shoulder, appreciating the gentleness. She noticed Lulu roll her eyes and walk away, making her smirk.

"Holy shit, I missed you so much," Kukai whispered. "I-I was so worried…"

"Let's go somewhere private," She whispered back, ending the hug and taking his hand. He nodded, following her to a room. As she walked into her room, she exchanged a glance with Ikuto. She mouthed "father" to him, and he nodded. A smile crossed her mouth, as she closed the door, allowing it to just be her and Kukai. She faced him, looking forward to speaking to him again.

"Okay, I've been practicing how to say this in front of a mirror, even to Ikuto and Nagi, and now here I am, totally blanking out…" Kukai laughed nervously.

"What are you looking to say?" Utau wondered, though she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Well, first off, I need to thank you. You, most likely, saved my life. Was it stupid? Yeah, probably, but still, I'm extremely grateful. I don't…" He glanced at the ground. She watched him. "Utau, if…if you had not made it, oh god, I don't even know what I would do. I basically lost it after you were shot, my sanity. So, next time, don't save me, because without you, I'm lost, and I realized that too late…"

"Hello? Yaya, Fujisaki, Tadase? You aren't lost without me. You could always turn to Lulu if you are in need of affection also." Kukai sighed, rolling his eyes.

"You're always going to hold that over my head, aren't you?"

"Yeah, basically." He scratched the back of his head.

"Well, it's time for me to apologize for that. Once I went out with her, I knew it was a mistake. I was completely upset by your…you know. Not to try to guilt you or anything; I'm in the wrong for thinking this was a good idea. I love you Utau. I can't love anyone else the way I love you, and I never want to. When I thought you were… gone, I felt such guilt. I thought I would never be able to tell you all of this, and even let you know that I loved you again. They say that you never know what you have until it's gone. So, now that I got a taste of what that's like, I'm never letting go of you…sorry. So, whatever fights happened between us, let's just pretend that they didn't. Besides, it's a bit difficult to strip with an injured stomach." Utau watched him, and noticed how nervous he was. Sweat was pouring down his face. She smirked at his fright. He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow at her reaction to his statement.

"I'll accept that, but don't act so nervous. We're quite casual around each other, so you don't really need to be nervous." He inhaled.

"That's the thing though." She raised an eyebrow. "I don't really want to be so casual with you. I want more. I want to be in a serious relationship with you. I don't really know how other couples transition from casual to serious, but this is how we're doing this. So, um, what do you say?" He spoke quickly, his cheeks bright red. Seeing his nerves only further reminded Utau of the age gap between them. Kukai always acted like the older brother of everyone, but now, he acted like a little kid. She couldn't deny that it was adorable.

"Sounds nice. I'm in." Before Kukai could react, Utau kissed him. She wrapped her arms around him, having missed this immensely. She sat on his lap, her eyes closed. Underneath her lips, he grinned, and kissed harder. Suddenly, nothing else mattered besides Kukai. He was her oyster, the world around her. All she wanted to do was be with him and no one else.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Utau almost ignored it, until, out of the corner of her eye, she recognized the older man. She immediately separated from Kukai, facing the two people; her family. She watched her father, studying him slowly. Kukai watched her for a moment, before becoming aware of Aruto and Ikuto.

"You're the kid who helped me find Easter?" Aruto wondered, facing Kukai. His face was completely crimson. He nodded quickly. "Hm, I wouldn't have imagined you dating my daughter. I didn't know she would be the type to date."

"I'm not," Utau interrupted, snapping out of her trance. "I made a vow never to date, but Kukai was different… Besides, Ikuto has a girlfriend too!" Ikuto narrowed his eyes at Utau, who simply smirked. Aruto turned to Ikuto, surprised.

"You met her actually… Amu."

"Huh, you're dating the Amu Hinamori; the one who was Easter's greatest antagonist? Interesting…"

"Father… I…"

"Utau, how are you feeling?"

"I-I'm good…" She was in complete shock. How could her father be standing right there? The man she had lost for eleven years was finally back.

"I'll, um, catch you guys later!" Kukai awkwardly stood up and left the room. He was completely ignored.

"I know I owe you both an explanation. I didn't really answer anything when I saw you last, Ikuto. It's a bit complicated. It was essential that I had left. However, I cannot explain now. I just came to check on you Utau. I'll be back soon." He turned toward the door.

"How am I supposed to know you'll be back soon? I don't know what that word 'soon' means to you, but certainly, eleven years doesn't define soon for us."

"I know," He whispered, continuing to leave. Utau tried to open her mouth to continue, but Ikuto covered it quickly. Utau looked at him surprised.

"We have to be patient. As you may have gathered, he isn't exactly the type to stick around," Ikuto explained. Utau snorted loudly.

"Oh really? I would have _never_ guessed." She crossed her arms, and sighed. "Ikuto, I'm sick of waiting around. We waited eleven years. Isn't that enough?"

"I'm with you here," He muttered. "I'm just glad I didn't wait more than a week for you." Utau smiled softly.

"Anything else life-changing happen? Tadase told me about Fujisaki's situation. That must be horrible for him."

"It doesn't seem like one thing goes right for him. We have gone through a lot ourselves, but it's still difficult for me to imagine how he copes with this." The doorbell suddenly rang. Utau turned to Ikuto eagerly, but he shook his head.

"He was just here," Ikuto pointed out. Utau nodded, sighing. She followed Ikuto down the stairs. Amu had walked forward and opened the door. Nagihiko smiled at the Tsukiyomi siblings, and Tadase merely acknowledged their presence.

"Hello? How can we help you?" Amu greeted politely. A man stood at the door, looking around at the inside. He had dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. Utau could place something familiar about the man, but she didn't know what. Tadase's eyes seemed to widen.

"My daughter is staying here, and I would like to see her." His voice slurred, making it obvious he was wasted.

"Your daughter?" Ikuto questioned, standing beside Amu. She smiled up at him and slid her fingers through his, unbeknownst to the man.

"Where is she?" The man bellowed.

"We don't know who your daughter is," Utau muttered, her arms crossed.

"Her name's Rima Mashiro, and I _know_ she is here!" Utau suddenly remembered how Rima felt toward her parents. They always fought constantly, and Rima always talked about how she was grateful to be apart from her parents.

"Oh, Mashiro-San? She goes, well went, to school with me, but I haven't seen her in months. Sorry, she isn't here," Nagihiko lied smoothly, walking over to the group.

"You're lying!" He spat angrily. "He told me otherwise!" He stuck his finger at Tadase. Tadase averted eye contact.

"Tadase-Kun?" Amu wondered, cocking her head to the side.

"I don't think you received the correct information. She isn't staying here."

"Where is she?!" Rima's father repeated, louder this time. There was a slight whimpering coming from underneath one of the chairs.

"If you weren't so wasted, you could clearly tell Fujisaki is telling the truth," Utau muttered. He snarled.

"Tell her that if she doesn't show up at her house within three hours, she will endure serious consequences." Rima's father walked out the door, slamming it behind him. Ikuto locked it, sighing a breath of relief.

"Well, that was weird," Ikuto muttered.

"What consequences are he referring to?" Amu wondered.

"Tadase, you owe me an explanation _now_." All four of them turned, suddenly seeing Tadase pinned to the wall by a figure much shorter than him. She looked absolutely steamed.

"M-Mashiro-San, I-"

"I want the truth," She hissed, holding him up tighter. "Why did you tell him where I was?! You _know _how much I hate my parents; why would you just lead him here?!"

"The truth would be nice Tadase," Ikuto agreed.

"I-I didn't want to. I-I needed to, in order to find out something important, and-"

"What did you want to find out?!" Rima demanded, pushing him harder.

"Rima, you shouldn't push him so hard; I understand you're upset, but…"

"_Upset_?!" Rima turned to look at Amu, glaring furiously. She didn't let go of Tadase. "I trusted Tadase, because, you know, we're friends and after all of this we should trust each other. I need some explanation for this, Hotori. Talk."

"Tadase won't speak to some petty commoner," Kiseki pointed out. Rima shot him a glare, even making him back down.

"Rima-Chan." Nagihiko put a hand on her shoulder. She attempted to pry his hand off, but he didn't budge. "He will explain himself, but drop him." Sighing in anger, Rima let go of Tadase, watching him drop to the ground. He panted, and stood up rapidly. All eyes turned to Tadase, expectant for answers.

"I-I was searching for something. W-Well, at first I was looking for your father." He gestured toward Utau and Ikuto.

"We found him now, so that doesn't explain anything," Utau muttered.

"I-I was desperate to find him. It was stupid, but I thought if he came back, everything could go back to how it was. I thought I might not be treated as lower by you two and as a sibling again!" He looked directly at Ikuto and Utau. They exchanged glances.

"I don't see how my father fits in," Rima muttered, her voice calmer now. Nagihiko's hand continued to rest on her shoulder, and he massaged it gently.

"I asked many people about Aruto's location. I gave them anything they wanted, money, or, in your father's case, information. He was one of the people I came across for information. After discovering Aruto's whereabouts, I was searching for information regarding the switch Gravatus mentioned." He nodded toward Nagihiko. "Yesterday when searching, I came across your father and, in exchange for information, I gave him our address. I couldn't say no. I had already agreed, and I tried to say no, but then…" Tadase gestured to the gash upon his cheek.

"Oh my god, you've gotten hit all of these times?!" Amu exclaimed. Tadase didn't say anything.

"The strip money…" Nagihiko realized. "You used that money to give for information?!" Tadase nodded slowly. "Did it help?!" Tadase didn't reply again.

"I thought you were my friend," Rima whispered, her voice sounding hurt.

"Mashiro-San, I tried to not say anything," Tadase pleaded. "I'm not saying I should be forgiven, but I tried, I really did. I am your friend. I care about you, I didn't know it was your father when I first spoke to him…"

"Why couldn't you just make up an address than?! You didn't need to see him again! You could have gotten away with it. Anyone else would have protected me."

"Mashiro-San-"

"I don't want to be in your presence, the presence of a traitor." She pushed Nagihiko's hand off, and turned toward the stairs, tears building up in her eyes. "I now understand why no one loves you, why Amu ditched you for Ikuto. You are a bastard." Tadase's eyes widened, as Rima stormed upstairs.

"The nerve of her! How dare she…"

"Kiseki, don't. She's right…" Tadase stared at the ground.

"You gave him the address, but received no information for the switch?" Amu whispered. Tadase nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry. I was so stupid. I just wanted to do something useful, make myself stand out. I acted in desperation and my own weakness. I won't do it again, and I'm not asking for forgiveness, but I just want you all to know. I know I've acted horribly these past few weeks, and, well, this is why, my constant departures."

"Tadase, you are useful," Utau pointed out. "Who else can lead the guardians and protect us from danger?"

"I haven't protected anyone; I couldn't save you or Nagihiko's mother…"

"No one could have," Nagihiko reassured. Tadase looked up at him, surprised. "I couldn't have expected you to save her. These things just happen, and you can't blame yourself. Believe me, blame is what I've been doing to myself all this week…" He sighed. "Tadase, I know you feel guilty. I know you want to make us forgive you. We can't just magically forget it didn't happen. I'm sure you understand Rima-Chan's anger. That being said, I haven't lost my trust in you permanently. Tadase, please don't let me down."

"I won't, not again," Tadase whispered, smiling weakly at Nagihiko.

"We should check on Rima," Amu suggested. The others nodded, following her, with the exception of Tadase. "Tadase, you aren't going back out, alright? You're staying right here."

"What Mashiro-San said, is it true? Do you think of me that way?"

"No, not at all," Amu promised, walking up the stairs.

The four of them walked over to the girls' room, and knocked on the door. Yaya opened it, smiling at them.

"Hey kids!" Yaya grinned. "What happened down there anyway? There was a lot of yelling."

"We'll explain later," Nagihiko promised. "Is Rima-Chan in there?"

"No, she isn't," Yaya told them. They nodded, closing the door. Amu walked backward, stepping on a piece of paper. She knelt down and picked it up. She read it, her eyes widening.

"Guys, we have a problem!" Amu exclaimed, showing them the paper. The three relatives glanced at Amu, reading the paper.

_I can't take any chances. I have to go see what my father wants. Sorry. ~R.M._

* * *

**Cliffhanger! Dun dun dun, what's going to happen to Rima when she sees her father? Also, I would like to justify Tadase's actions further. It sounds horrible what he did, and it is, but part of the reason has to do with the stress of the whole dark world. Tadase is completely lost and unsure of what to do with himself, as mentioned when he spoke to Tsukasa a few chapters ago. That being said, I am aware that Tadase might seem OOC. He will improve, I promise. Anyhow, you know the drill! Review/Alert/Favorite! I promise, I will post a better chapter next time. However, chapter 12 is going to be big. *cough cough* what?**


	11. Reunion

**I won't say much here, but I do want to make you all alert to the fact I am not anticipating many more chapters with this story. I currently do not know the exact amount of chapters left, but I am contemplating with the idea of making this story 18 chapters, just like X-Virus (with the exception of a bonus chapter I may add). Anyhow, as usual, I own nothing, and enjoy!**

* * *

Nagihiko previously believed he had reached the maximum amount of stress, fear, and anxiety. However, the note in his hand proved otherwise. It seemed impossible to maintain his nonchalant composure now. Rima, the girl he loved, was risking everything for some threat made by her drunken father. Anything could happen to her now. As the possible scenarios ran through his head, he quickly blocked it out. He could not afford to imagine the worst that could happen.

"What has occurred?" Kairi walked over to them. Slowly, Nagihiko handed him the note, not wanting to see Kairi's reaction to reading it. Taking a deep breath, Amu explained the previous conversation with Rima's father and everything with Tadase to the others who stood nearby.

"What was she thinking?! She could get herself severely hurt!" Kukai exclaimed.

"What would you do if you were promised to see your father after not seeing him for, however many months?" All eyes turned to Utau. Her eyes were darkened. "Maybe she has claimed numerous times that she hates her parents and doesn't want to see them, but deep down, she misses them, even if her father is some drunken idiot. You know you would understand Souma, all of you would… Besides Fujisaki anyway." They all glanced at the ground, missing their own parents.

"We can't just stay here," Nagihiko whispered, the waver in his voice quite apparent. "Rima-Chan could be walking into something horribly dire now."

"Amu, you know where lives, right?" Amu glanced up, and nodded at her boyfriend. "We need to go quickly. Both of us have character changes that allow us to move quickly. We'll split up and find her."

"I can move quickly too," Kukai pointed out. Ikuto nodded toward Kukai. Nagihiko glanced at the ground, knowing that he too could have been able to move quickly with Rhythm, if he had his charas. Now, he had to stay here, and anxiously await to hear news regarding his girlfriend's safety. Waiting with no news would absolutely kill him. But, that was life, wasn't it? You never know what will happen next, and you take each step blindly, waiting to see what will happen. If anything taught him that, it was this entire situation.

"The three of us will split up, searching for Rima. Kairi, you can move rapidly as well," Amu explained. Kairi glanced up, and nodded.

"On it." Kukai gritted his teeth. Yaya walked over to Kairi, and hugged him tightly, prompting him to blush lightly. The four of them left the house.

"Nagi-Tan, they'll find her," Yaya reassured, noticing her friend's distress. He turned to her, and forced a small smile.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Kusu-Kusu wondered nervously, as Rima continued to walk forward. She shivered in her winter jacket, despite the fact it was spring. She had no idea if this was the right thing to do or not. However, she could not risk the consequences. Her parents had previously threatened her many times, but she was always too scared to risk breaking the rules. Now, after six months, she had not changed in the slightest. She was disappointed in herself too. She should have grown as an independent person from them, but here she was, likely walking to her doom.

"I don't have a choice," Rima muttered, nerves tingling within her. "I can't risk it, Kusu-Kusu…" She still second-guessed herself however.

"Hey darling," A man called. Rima ignored him, and continued to walk. Lately, the suburban areas had reverted to where gangs hung around.

"Rima!" She froze, recognizing Amu's desperate voice. Rima already had a good fifteen minute lead on them; how could she have possibly caught up? Right, Rima was extremely slow and Amu was probably character changed. Rima continued to walk, slightly faster this time. Suddenly, she felt herself grabbed by the shoulders. She nearly screamed, until she turned and found herself face to face with Kukai. Kairi, Ikuto, and Amu walked over to the two of them.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?!" Kukai hissed.

"I…"

"Kukai," Ikuto warned.

"No, it's alright." Rima breathed heavily. She figured that Kukai and Kairi were filled in with what happened. "I didn't have a choice; I couldn't risk it…"

"You should have further discussed your plans with us," Kairi told her.

"What point would that have served? You would have stopped me," Rima pointed out. "You don't get it; this is my father, and even if he is some crazed drunk now, I still need a chance to see him. I can't risk consequences…"

"We do get it," Amu reassured, hugging her friend. "I miss my father and mother too, and Ami. It's been so long."

"My parents are not even aware of the fact that they are now grandparents…" Kairi realized.

"I didn't mean to come off as so strong Rima, but we just don't want you to get hurt." Kukai grinned at her. "Besides, Nagi looked like he was about to explode of fright."

"Aren't we all?" Rima muttered quietly.

"So, you came." All five of them turned, facing Rima's father. Her eyes widened, and she subconsciously backed closer to Amu.

"W-W-What do you want?!" Rima whimpered.

"Come here," He beckoned.

"You aren't going to hurt her," Kukai growled, stepping beside her. She looked up, slightly surprised at Kukai's sudden protectiveness.

"She's my daughter, only mine!" He snapped, the slur in his voice quite apparent. "That bitch couldn't take her away; she couldn't. She's so damn possessive, but she is wrong, she is wrong." His speech was nonsensical, but Rima's eyes widened.

"Mother... where is she?" Rima asked cautiously.

"She isn't your mother! She never treated you like a daughter! I'm your only parent!"

"You're a hypocrite." The others watched as Rima suddenly gained confidence. She stepped farther from Amu, feeling slightly more confident. "You think you ever treated me like a daughter? You _both_ ignored me, treated me as if I was nothing. You were too busy with your fights. I blamed myself for years, convinced it was my fault that you fought. But, now I've realized the truth. You were both just terrible parents, and your fighting was inevitable. I felt insignificant whenever I was with you two. But now, thanks to my friends, I feel like I can be regarded as a freaking human being. I don't need to retreat to my room to cry my eyes out every night." These had been the words Rima had wanted to say for years, and they just came out before she could stop them. This was the reason she wanted to see him.

"Sure wish I could have recorded that to show Nagi," Kukai murmured quietly. Kairi watched Rima, a smile on his face.

"You can't speak that way to your father!" He bellowed, walking toward her with a raised fist. Rima was too stunned to move, as her father roughly smacked her cheek. She cried out, falling to the ground.

"Leave her alone," Kairi demanded, his glasses shining in the sun.

"You are a disgrace; related to the bitch that was your mother." Rima suddenly picked up on something.

"_Was_ my mother?!"

"That bitch was a zombie. She was all dark and black and shit. She was gone, gone from my freaking life. And then the black shit ended her."

"She had the X-Virus…" Ikuto realized. Suddenly, her father leaned forward, and threw up. They looked away, disgusted.

"That's the definition of wasted," Kukai murmured, grabbing Rima's arm. "Let's just go; he can't do anything in this drunken state." Suddenly, Rima's father fell face first to the ground, passed out.

"Rima…" Amu turned to her friend. Rima looked back at her, a cold expression apparent on her face.

"Let's just go," She muttered, sounding unfazed. The four of them exchanged expressions.

"I-I'll meet you guys back," Amu promised. "Go ahead of me, I want to do something."

"Hinamori-San, it is too dangerous to risk a visit to your home," Kairi pointed out, figuring out what she meant. Amu glanced at the ground.

"I'll accompany her," Ikuto told the others. Amu turned to him, smiling. "Take her back." He gestured toward Rima.

"You don't have to treat me like I'm lesser," Rima muttered. "I'm fine." Kukai and Kairi walked back with Rima.

"Amu, Kairi does have a point," Ikuto muttered. "However, I know you are too stubborn to back down, so convincing you will be pointless."

"You know me so well, Ikuto," Amu teased, smiling. Ikuto smirked, and followed her to her house.

When Amu arrived outside, an immense joy filled up in her chest. She was shocked to see her home still in pretty good condition. She couldn't wait to see her family. She wondered what had happened in the six months they were separated. She took a deep breath and clutched Ikuto's hand, before knocking with her available hand. The door suddenly opened, and to her dismay, an elder man was the one who opened it.

"What is it?" The man wondered, turning to Amu curiously. Amu had no idea what to say. Where was her family? Why weren't they at their house?

"This is the Hinamori residence. Do you know where they are?" Ikuto wondered.

"Sorry, I found this place abandoned. Whoever you know that lived here does not inhabit this home any longer. Good luck." The man closed the door. Amu stared at the door in complete shock. How could her parents not be there?! Where were they?!

"Amu, don't worry." Ikuto's voice was calm, and it attempted to pull her out of her trance. "We'll find them. Amu?"

"No…" Amu sunk to her knees, her legs touching the ground of her front porch. She remembered distinctively stepping on the porch for the first time when she first moved. Now, there was simply an old man living here.

"We will find them," Ikuto repeated gently, kneeling down beside her. His hand was on her shoulder. "They are somewhere safe, I promise."

"Somewhere safe, meaning heaven?" Her eyes began to water up.

"No, somewhere in reality. Somewhere where they are alive and doing well, except that they are worried about you. Amu, you will find them with the perseverance you have. Trust me." She turned to Ikuto. He was so kind and comforting, despite the image he held on. He had always been there for her. She couldn't be selfish; it was Ikuto who went through so much more than her daily. Suddenly, she could only think of one thing to do. Before she could think it through completely, Amu kissed him. Clearly taken aback, he kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She relaxed every muscle in her body, as she continued kissing him, much more aggressively than she ever thought she was capable. For a second, she separated, her breath on his mouth.

"I love you," She whispered.

"Likewise, I love you too." Ikuto continued their kiss.

* * *

Kukai, Kairi, and Rima started to walk back to the house, silence having fallen between the three of them. Kukai and Kairi kept exchanging glances, and turning back to the shortest one. To their dismay, Rima did not look upset upon finding out about her mother's death and seeing her father that way.

"Can you stop staring at me?! I'm _fine,_" She snapped coldly.

"Rima, we were just concerned that you…"

"Don't have a reaction?" She finished, glancing up at Kukai. He nodded slowly. "I'm not going to lie that I'm saddened by my mother's death. However, in my mind, it already happened when they started fighting and began treating me less and less like a daughter. My mother could stare at me with absolutely no kindness in her eyes and no warmth. When she stared at me so coldly, I knew that I had already lost my mother. Now, her death is just official."

"Well, at least you, um, have your father?" Kukai tried to reassure.

"Oh, please. I lost him too. He's just some drunken low-life. I have no desire to see him again. I guess the children I could potentially have, although with everything going on it seems unlikely, will be missing their grandparents. Lucky them." Suddenly, Rima burst into laughter, prompting Kukai and Kairi to raise their eyebrows.

"I am unable to find the humor," Kairi muttered.

"It really isn't funny, but if I ever was a mother," she continued to giggle, "And I remained with Nagi, then they would miss what it's like to have grandparents. Oh god, it's horrible, but…" She continued to giggle, with Kusu-Kusu joining in. Kukai cracked a smile and laughed slightly, leaving Kairi to watch them, utterly perplexed.

"RIMA-TAN!" Through her giggles, Rima glanced up, and before she could focus, Yaya suddenly tackled her to the ground.

"Yaya! What are you doing here?!" Rima exclaimed, attempting to push her off.

"Yaya and Nagi-Tan got impatient, so we decided to find you guys! Rima-Tan is laughing, so what happened must have been good!" Yaya finally got off of Rima, who stifled her giggles. She looked at Kusu-Kusu for a moment, and could no longer contain herself.

"I'm glad to see you're alright," Nagihiko told her, though also confused to her laughter.

"That's the thing though; I'm really not." She looked up at Nagihiko, calming down. "I think I just realized I lost my sanity completely. I don't even know how to react to anything anymore, so this is what happened…" She smiled softly, and hugged him, who quickly returned the hug. With much struggle, she leaned up against his ear. "Can I join the lack of mother club?" She whispered. Nagihiko let go of her, and turned to her, horrified.

"Rima-Chan!" He exclaimed, watching her smile remain intact.

"Hey c'mon Nagi; it's her way of coping." Kukai patted his back. "It's been stressful, so she needs to ease the stress by doing what she loves most- laughing!" Nagihiko watched his girlfriend, smiling softly.

"Yaya missed something… didn't she?" Kairi walked over to her, and explained the situation with Rima's mother.

"So, what happened to Amu and-" Suddenly, there was a loud noise. Smoke suddenly surrounded them, and they coughed incessantly.

"What's going on?!" Kukai exclaimed, attempting to blow away the smoke. Suddenly, a high-pitched scream sounded. Since Kukai could make out Yaya's iconic pigtails beside him, he suddenly knew exactly who it was.

"Rima!" Kairi called, realizing as well. The smoke suddenly cleared up, and suddenly, there was only four of them. Rima was nowhere to be found. They heard a car driving away, but didn't think much of it.

"Where is she?!" Yaya exclaimed, turning quickly.

"I don't know, but her shout was pretty loud…" Kukai muttered. "Oh shit, she could have been abducted or something." Nagihiko's eyes widened. Kairi glanced at him, and they both exchanged a nervous and concerned glance. "What?!" Kukai demanded, seeing their grim expressions.

"Rima-Chan was once kidnapped when she was younger," Nagihiko explained slowly, his voice wavering. "She was traumatized by it, and it's her biggest fear…"

"We should head back," Kairi suggested. "We need to formulate a plan to find out where her whereabouts are." The others nodded, and headed back to the house.

"Where is Rima, Amu, and my brother?" Utau demanded, upon their entrance. Behind her, Yua was playing with Lulu's hair and Tadase was staring at the ground. Yukari sat nearby as well, playing with Ava on her lap. Yuu sat beside her, smiling.

"We don't know what happened to Rima," Kukai explained, his eyes darkening. "We found her and her father, and she was okay after that, but then she was abducted."

"It could be her father. His unconscious state seemed as though it would remain stagnant for a while, but I could have speculated incorrectly."

"We have to go," Nagihiko urged, sounding desperate.

"Fujisaki, you should stay back. You can't transform, and we may need to in order to prove the most effective," Utau pointed out.

"I can't just stay back again, waiting anxiously to see if it's successful…" Nagihiko stared at the ground.

"What's up?" Ikuto and Amu entered the house, hand in hand. Yua filled them in on the details.

"It wasn't her father," Amu whispered. "We passed him again when we came back here, and he was still out."

"Oh lord…" All eyes turned to face Yukari.

"What is the matter?" Kairi asked his sister.

"I think I might have an idea where she is, but I really hope I'm mistaken." She let out a long sigh.

"Oh my god, you think it's…"

"Gravatus," Nagihiko realized, his eyes darkening. The unhappiness was echoed throughout the room. However, for Nagihiko, tears were beginning to build up in his eyes. Gravatus had already ruined his life enough. He could still hear the ringing of the two bullets Gravatus shot at his mother. He didn't want to associate that with Rima as well. Not only was she petrified of being kidnapped, but this was Gravatus; the man who changed the whole world into a living hell. Nagihiko knew that he would harm anyone mercilessly. He was a murderer. The last thing Nagihiko wanted was for Rima, the girl of which he adored more than anything, to be facing her fear with a man who killed his ex-wife, and forced Utau to be in a coma for an entire week. Nagihiko could not fathom his concern.

* * *

**This, my lovely readers, is a twist I have been looking forward to for a while. I promise you though, this event will cause more twists and turns to occur. Amuto fans, I hope you were happy! I've been neglecting you for a bit, but here you go. RimaHiko fans like myself, I AM SORRY. Also, I am aware of Rima acting pretty OOC, but honestly, with everything they dealt with in this story, she was just expressing her despair and anxiety, like Kukai said. Plus, I needed something light in this story, since this story will get darker and more intense. Without saying anything more, please review! (I guess there is no point telling you to alert and favorite). Because I'm feeling generous and inspired, I will give you a short preview for the next chapter. However, I am thinking about posting a bonus chapter in between the two chapters, so this preview is for the next chapter in the plot, not the bonus. Enjoy!**

_As he walked into the vast planetarium, he felt a wave of sudden comfort. Seeing the stars above him always made him feel welcome, even in a time like this. His heart was beating rapidly, as he walked toward the man he called his uncle. He was staring up at the stars, admiring them. Tadase already knew that Tsukasa knew he was there. _

"_It's funny… Normally, there is always a star shining in a path, but right now, all I can see is darkness." _

**It's short, and it's only part of the scene, but we will pick up on this next chapter (it will be soon, promise!). Review, review, review!**


	12. Aruto & Kai The Gravatus Brothers(BONUS)

**I'm not really 100% sure how this idea came to me, but when it did, I decided that I needed to include it. This chapter is not too important to the story. I just wanted to provide a bonus chapter about the previous relationship between Aruto and Kai (Gravatus). I'm sure you all were able to infer that they will become even more important, as Gravatus has been the entire story. I know that it isn't an advance in the plotline of the story, but I promise, I will write the next chapter immediately after I post this. Also, I do completely realize I am breaking some continuities in the actual anime regarding Souko and Aruto (and obviously, Gravatus didn't really exist). However, it is altered for the sake of drama. Without further ado, I present you this bonus chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

**~Aruto & Kai~**

High school is a time for people to grow and discover who they truly are. By the time you graduate, you are expected to have selected a college and follow your career path. However, neither of the Gravatus brothers could have ever dreamed of what their life would grow to become.

During this four-year period, the biggest issue with Kai that Aruto had was his desire to be seen. He was desperate for attention. As an elder brother, Aruto found this quite aggravating. Neither brother sought appreciation from their parents, due to the lack of care they provided. However, since they were only born two years apart, the friends that they mutually shared noticed Kai much more than they noticed Aruto. He tried to slide it off; after all, he was considered to be quite modest. However, it was not quite that simple, and the frustration only grew more and more.

During their lunch period, Aruto sat at their table, eating his sandwich normally. He was a senior, and he, like many of his fellow peers, developed the attitude that he condescended the school. This included the lowerclassmen, thus his brother who was a sophomore. Unfortunately, his friends still appreciated his existence. As usual, his friends walked over to the table, laughing at a joke his younger brother told. Aruto's eyes narrowed, as they took their respectful chairs.

"Hm, who knew comedy ran in the Gravatus family? It must have skipped you, Art," His best friend and rival, Kazuomi ruffled his hair.

"Don't be ridiculous Kaz," Aruto muttered. "Kai's jokes are not funny."

"You're such a buzzkill big bro!" Kai whined, sitting across from him. Aruto rolled his eyes, finding his brother a nuisance. "Geez, even my basketball coach is more fun."

"I'm not a 'buzzkill,' Kai," Aruto tried to point out.

"Sure you are! You always suck the life right out of everything!" Kai whined. "You always make everything super _bor-ring_."

"Kai, isn't that a bit harsh? Aruto has his moments," Aruto's girlfriend, Souko pointed out.

"Well, name one fun thing Aruto does!" Kai whined. A sly smirk crossed Aruto's expression.

"I'll show you fun, Kai." Aruto stood up, and walked behind Kai. He undid his belt rapidly, watching his pants fall to the ground. The entire cafeteria turned to face them, and burst out in hysterical laughter. Kai's face turned bright red, as he turned to face Aruto.

"I stand corrected," Kai mumbled, pulling up his pants. "I've got to say big brother; that was pretty good."

"Yeah, I know," Aruto agreed, laughing with his little brother.

**~Aruto & Kai~**

Aruto had been waiting for this day for years; the day where he would finally graduate from high school and escape his dreadful parents. He would be attending a college a few hours away. Kaz and Souko would be going to the same college with him. However, there was one person that he did not want to leave. As Aruto stood with the rest of his class, he glanced back and turned around to search for his little brother. His parents were nowhere to be seen, not surprisingly. Aruto could vividly see the disheartened expression plastered across Kai's face.

A few minutes later, Kaz and Souko came running in, having arrived late. Aruto smiled at them, unbeknownst to the fact Souko's gown was unbuttoned and Kaz's pants were slightly undone.

The valedictorian made his way upon the stage, and stepped toward the front. He was a complete loser, Aruto believed. He was some creep who had a frightening addiction to astronomy, and was the only senior who actually gave a crap about school.

"Well, here we are, a class of seniors who actually survived." His brown hair covered one eye, as he read the speech. No one laughed at his attempt at humor.

"LOSER!" A voice called from the audience. Aruto smirked, knowing the voice of his little brother all too well. The valedictorian, Tsukasa, looked extremely bashful. After his speech full of ramblings and stammers, the graduates made their way onto stage to receive their diplomas. When Aruto Gravatus was called, he stepped on stage, and smiled. After graduation, he walked over to Kai, and hugged him tightly.

"Bro, you aren't allowed to go to college," Kai whispered.

"Kai…" Aruto started.

"You're just going to leave me with them, our parents?! I'm going to be alone," Kai pointed out desperately.

"Kai, you are a big-shot on the basketball team. You have plenty of people." Kai glanced at the ground.

"Aruto, isn't there a way I can come? I could attend a high school nearby!"

"Kai, I'm sorry…"

"Whatever," He growled.

"Kai…"

"I don't want to talk!" Aruto watched, as his brother stormed away angrily.

**~Aruto & Kai~**

Aruto was never the type to stick around for long. That was why staying in the same place for four years in high school was not successful. Naturally, Aruto could not stand sharing a dormitory and not traveling. Kaz was his best friend, but it took a lot to satisfy Aruto. College was not quite the experience suited for him. So, after a semester, Aruto decided to drop out of college, and travel for a bit. He desperately attempted to contact Kai using all mean necessary. However, he did not respond to anything. Aruto even showed up at their house, but Kai was nowhere to be found.

**~Aruto & Kai~**

It was seven years since Aruto attempted to contact Kai. Eventually, he gave up, coming to the realization that Kai did not want to be found. Fortunately, he at least knew that Kai was still alive. However, a wave of melancholy passed through him, as he adjusted the tie on his tuxedo. This was, arguably, the most important day of Aruto's life; his wedding. He second-guessed it numerous times, especially since he didn't trust himself to stay around and he even questioned Souko's loyalty, but he truly did love her.

"Well, well, my big brother's getting married." Aruto froze, seeing a figure he had not seen in years beside him in the mirror. Kai had grown to be broad and muscular. He was even growing a mustache. One aspect of Kai that Aruto ceased to understand were the streaks of purple in his hair that were completely natural. However, his hair was now black-purple.

"Kai! I've been-"

"I know." Kai smirked. He wore a nice suit as well, presumably having heard of the occasion somehow. "I ran away from home. I don't want to get into details, but this is your big day, bro. Go get married!" Aruto smiled at his brother, and complied. He made it to the end of the aisle, before watching his bride-to-be glide down the aisle. Aruto was completely allured.

"Do you, Aruto Gravatus, take Souko Violet as your bride?" The priest asked.

"I do," He whispered solemnly, taking his fiancée's hands. Something didn't seem right about that though. Aruto did not like the sound of being called Gravatus.

"Do you, Souko Violet, take-"

"I do," She interjected, seeming almost bored and agitated. Aruto seemed oblivious to it, and smiled warmly. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Kai. He gave Aruto a thumbs up. Slowly, the newlyweds leaned toward each other, and kissed.

At the party, Aruto was absolutely horrified to learn that his brother drank the way he did. He drank three beers in nearly five minutes. Last he saw his brother, he was not even allowed to drink. He was so transfixed on his brother's presence, that he did not even notice the oddness of Souko going to the restroom with Kazuomi taking her.

He glanced over at an uncle of his who congratulated him. He thanked him, but thought for a moment. This was Uncle Ikunai, who was his mother's brother; Uncle Ikunai Tsukiyomi. At that moment, Aruto decided to propose the idea to Souko about changing their last name to Tsukiyomi.

**~Aruto & Kai~**

He was perfect… That was the only thought that ran through Aruto's head, as he stared at the boy held in Souko's arms. It had not taken Souko too long to get pregnant after the wedding. The doctor stood nearby, smiling at the couple with their first child.

"What are you calling him?" The doctor wondered.

"Ikuto," Aruto whispered. "Ikuto Tsukiyomi." At that moment, the newborn's eyes opened, and he sobbed quietly. Souko laughed lightly, and held her son closer. A part of Aruto wondered what Kai's reaction would be to finding out his was now an uncle. They had not spoken ever since the wedding.

Aruto and Kai remained separated, after Souko gave birth to their second child, Utau Tsukiyomi. Two-year-old Ikuto still seemed unable to grasp the concept of having another family member. As Aruto raised his children, he wondered how Kai would have helped.

**~Aruto & Kai~**

It had been three years since Utau was born. Five-year-old Ikuto seemed to take a liking to Aruto's old violin. Three-year-old Utau found it fun to chase Ikuto around. They always played together, and laughed. Nothing could make Aruto happier than to see his two children playing and enjoying their company. Also, an old childhood friend of Souko, Takumi Hotori and his wife Opal lived nearby and often visited. Opal Hotori was six months pregnant, so she often visited to see how Aruto and Souko treated their children.

It was midnight, when Aruto heard the knock on the door. It was officially Christmas. He had placed the presents that were supposedly given from Santa Claus underneath the Christmas tree for Ikuto and Utau. He walked over to the door, and opened it. To his utter dismay, he saw a man he had not seen since his wedding.

"Kai, what are you-"

"Big brother, I'm screwed," He moaned. Aruto motioned for him to come in. Kai complied, sitting down on the nearby couch. Aruto sat beside him, having made him tea.

"What happened?" He asked calmly.

"Oh god, I was so stupid, it was a huge mistake, I didn't mean-"

"Kai, slow down," Aruto demanded. Kai took a deep breath before starting over. He didn't look at Aruto in the eyes.

"I was at a bar, minding my own business," He muttered. "You know, just having a couple of drinks, whatever. I guess I was unaware of how much I had to drink, but when this beautiful woman entered the bar, I found myself only able to stare. She sat down beside me, and she drank as well. I guess she became aware of my stare, and then, stuff happened, you know, and then, I…" Kai took a deep breath. "I didn't think much of it! I hadn't heard from her in a month, you know, and then she calls suddenly, and she tells me that she's…."

"Pregnant?" Aruto wondered. Kai nodded hesitantly.

"I couldn't just abandon her. We married, though I'm not really sure I even like her. Oh god, I don't even know how to be a parent."

"I can help you," Aruto reassured. "I never had the chance to contact you, but I'm a father as well. Two children, Ikuto and Utau. I-" Before he could speak any further, he saw the presence of two other women at the door.

"That's my wife," Kai murmured, motioning toward the pregnant one. She wasn't nearly as pregnant as Opal Hotori, but it was slightly noticeable. "Her name's Natsumi Fujisaki."

"You are Aruto, correct?" He nodded. "Yes, Kai has mentioned you before. This is Baaya, my housekeeper." Baaya curtsied.

"I did happen to luck out though," Kai whispered to Aruto. "Apparently Natsumi's pretty wealthy."

"Would you all like to stay for Christmas dinner?" Aruto wondered. "You can sleep on some of the couches."

"Thank you," Natsumi whispered. The three of them went to the couches.

Finally, Christmas dinner came. The Hotori family came over too, and so did Aruto's old friend Kazuomi, who had never married. Aruto noticed his wife and Kaz go to another room to talk. He didn't think much of it; after all, they had known each other for as long as Aruto knew them. Aruto introduced his brother and family to everyone else. Kazuomi was discussing his new company, Easter, and how it helped people.

"Daddy, why are Mrs. Hotori and the other lady so fat?" Little Ikuto wondered. Utau giggled, pointing.

"Utau! It is impolite to point!" Aruto scolded. He turned to face Ikuto. "It is also impolite to point out that! However, it is because they are having a new child. That is how Mommy had Utau and you. They will be having their own children as well."

"Oh, Kai! I forgot to tell you; we're having a boy."

"Well, I guess it can't be Nadeshiko. Whatever. Name it whatever you want."

"Kai, how could you refer to our child as an 'it'?" Natsumi wondered. "He has a gender now."

"It wasn't like I wanted to get into this. I don't really care what the fuck it becomes." The Hotori couple exchanged glances. Souko and Aruto covered the children's ears, not wanting them to become contaminated.

"Kai, we need to talk," Aruto muttered, leading his brother away from the table. Kai followed, and they stood far away.

"What? It's not like I want this freaking child!" Kai exclaimed.

"Kai, you can't say that. Do you think Natsumi wanted to have a child? You have to act strong. You're being arrogant."

"Damn, having children sure made you sensitive," Kai pointed out.

"Well, being sensitive is definitely a better way to raise a child than your attitude. Kai, your behavior is inexcusable."

"How dare you reprimand me! I haven't seen you in years!"

"And whose fault is that?!" Aruto was angry now. "I've tried to contact you for so long, and you just ignore me! Get out!"

"Big brother…." Kai's voice softened.

"No, get out! You need to sort out your problems on your own; that's apart of becoming a man! I learned how to be a father on my own, and I suggest you do too!" Kai looked absolutely appalled. He got Natsumi and Baaya, and left the house, glancing at him nervously.

**~Aruto & Kai~**

Kai had desperately been attempting to call and contact Aruto, but Aruto refused to answer. He could not be the one to help Kai sort out his problems. He needed to on his own. Until Kai solved his problems, Aruto did not inform his children of his brother. At Christmas, he didn't specify Kai's relationship to him.

Aruto sat at his computer, and checked his emails. He sent all of Kai's emails to junk. However, there was one email that stood out to him, regarding a project he had been working on. He examined it, eying its contents. His eyes widened. Suddenly, due to the contents in the email, he knew he had to leave. He couldn't watch his children grow old. He would have some time, but not much.

"Souko!" Aruto called, making his way to their bedroom. He opened the door, and stared, shocked to what he saw. On his bed, he saw his wife Souko with a blanket covering her chest. It was obvious she was wearing nothing else. Beside her, was someone Aruto trusted immensely; Kazuomi.

"Aruto, I can explain," Souko tried to reassure.

"You don't need to; it's pretty obvious." Aruto turned around. "Kazuomi, I trusted you. I truly did."

"Maybe you put your faith in the wrong person. Souko and I have been involved for years, even in high school." Aruto was absolutely horrified.

"I'm done," He growled, slamming the door behind him.

"Daddy!" Utau called, seeing him walking. He blinked back tears, before walking out the door and slamming it behind him. He did not want to leave his children, but the email he had previously received made it obvious he had no choice. His wife's affair only made that more obvious. However, before he left, he needed to see someone he had ignored for three years.

**~Aruto & Kai~**

"Why are you here?" It wasn't a friendly greeting in any sense. The amount of contempt and hesitation was evident in the simple sentence uttered by Kai Gravatus. His brother Aruto didn't look at him, glancing to the side. "It has been three years. I have been attempting to contact you, yet you refuse to answer. Why now?"

"Circumstances have changed," Aruto murmured, crossing his arms. He finally looked into the eyes of his little brother. "There was something I needed to inform you of."

"What?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Due to...personal reasons, I will be unable to parent my children. I am leaving."

"Where are you going?"

"That is confidential. Anyway, I need you to promise me something."

"What do you want?" Kai wondered, his voice softening.

"Protect my children, Ikuto and Utau Tsukiyomi. I do not trust my wife to accurately care for them. They need a loving uncle like you. Make sure they do not become contaminated, the way we were by our dreadful parents. I wish I could be there for them, but they need parents that can care for them. Be there for them, Kai."

"So, they are Tsukiyomis, like Mother? Not Gravatus?" Aruto shook his head.

"Do you accept?"

"I'm not a father Aruto; I don't know how to care for them."

"You have your own son brother; treat them the way you treat him."

"I don't know how to take care of him!" Gravatus exclaimed. "My wife takes all the work. Can't you help me?"

"My flight leaves in twenty minutes. I don't have time. Just promise me Kai; do not let them become us."

"Aruto-Nii, please, don't leave. I..." From that moment on, Kai changed. He became drunken daily, and took out his anger on Natsumi and his son, Nagihiko. He ignored Aruto's request, and turned worse and worse. Meanwhile, Aruto signed a divorce paper and sent it to Souko. It didn't take long for her to remarry to Kazuomi. At eight years and six years, Ikuto and Utau resented them, and spent more time with each other. They ended up losing Tadase, and the rest of the Hotori family as a close friend. They soon learned that the only people in the world that they could fully trust were themselves. It would be eleven years before anyone ever saw Aruto again.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed! The last scene, with a few exceptions, was used in chapter 17 of the X-Virus, although I had to change a minor detail because it would not have made sense how I initially had it. Again, I know it contradicts the anime (like Souko wasn't as horrible as I made her out to be), but oh well. I'm already going to let you guys know; Souko and Kazuomi **_**will**_** return at least once before the end. Also, I have completely bulleted and planned everything that will happen from now until the end. I can tell you that there will be approximately 20-22 chapters in this story, including this and the final epilogue. Anyhow, review as always, and no worries, because I will be posting the next chapter extremely soon. **


	13. Blinding Emotions

**This chapter took a lot longer than I would have liked. Unfortunately, there is some personal stuff going on. Anyway, I don't want to delay the reading any further. I own nothing, and enjoy probably the chapter with the strangest dynamic of light and dark I have ever written.**

* * *

Rima's eyes fluttered open, revealing unfamiliar walls surrounding her. She tried to remember what had previously happened. Some things were clearer than others. She distinctively remembered her father collapsing and learning of her mother's death. She was with Kairi and Kukai, and later Nagihiko and Yaya. After that, she remembered being grabbed by someone. It suddenly dawned on her that her arms were tied behind her back with rope. Suddenly, it dawned on her the familiarity of being tied up and being in an unfamiliar place. She tried to cry out, when she became alert to the tape on her mouth. How could she have gotten kidnapped again? Fear possessed every ounce of her body, as she froze, shaking uncontrollably.

"Trying to escape is pointless." The booming voice of Gravatus made sweat trickle down Rima's neck. Fathoming her fright was impossible. This was Kai Gravatus, the man who Rima saw murder his ex-wife, shoot his niece, make his son's life a living hell and make him unconscious for almost half a year, and spread a deathly virus. Now, Rima was reliving her traumatic experience as a child with this horrid man, if that word even was applicable for Gravatus anymore. She wondered what the point of struggling was anymore. Everything was so futile. Tears danced down her cheeks, before she even knew she was crying. She shook even more, wanting to scream or make some sort of noise, not that it would even help.

"Shh, it's okay Rima; I'm here," Kusu-Kusu soothed quietly. She was frightened out of her mind, but somehow, knowing that Kusu-Kusu was there and she wasn't entirely alone, counted for something. Gravatus stepped closer to her, making her whimper underneath the tape. He formed a sadistic smirk, watching her suffer.

"I wonder how foolish your friends are," He taunted. "They will probably come running right into my trap. Nobility. Why would people do something noble, but not wish to seek an award for their efforts? That's absurd. Are people oblivious to the feeling of pride acquired upon gaining publicity?" Rima couldn't care less about what he was saying. She was so preoccupied with the fright of being kidnapped. She merely continued sobbing, although she couldn't move to crawl into a ball. She kept trying, but eventually fell forward, and sobbed on the ground, feeling so helpless. She soon felt herself get kicked aggressively, and a chuckle immediately following. She tried to cry out in pain, but the tape and floor muffled her voice.

"You are pathetic." Rima knew that he was completely right. She was, and yet, she found no motivation to change. All she could do was wait and wonder how long the guardians would take. Despite hearing about the trap Gravatus spoke of, she still wanted to be saved. Maybe it was arrogant, Rima could recognize that much, but she was frightened out of her mind. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, and she could not make any sense out of it.

* * *

"We need to do something." No one had expected Tadase to speak up in the room. All eyes turned to him, surprised. His eyes were fixated on the ground, yet, it was evident that he felt guilty for everything that happened. He should have never told her father the address. If Rima had not felt so determined to see him, she would not have been abducted.

"It isn't your fault, Tadase." Tadase turned, seeing the last person he would have expected to be the comforting one. In fact, when Tadase looked into his best friend's eyes, he saw kindness and compassion. If the girl Tadase loved was captured, he knew that he wouldn't have the guts to reassure anyone, let alone the person who deserved the blame. Now that Tadase thought about it, he wasn't even sure who qualified as the person he loved the way Nagihiko loved Rima. Months ago, he would have answered Amu without a second thought. Now, Amu only saw him as a good friend. He didn't even know how she could say that; he had treated her horribly with his anger.

"Why would Gravatus kidnap Rima-Tan?" Yaya wondered. It was her turn to steal the spotlight. "Yaya means, it's kind of random. Isn't Nagi-Tan the only Gravatus wants to be mean to, or the Tsukiyomis?" Ikuto and Utau both grimaced. Nagihiko glanced down.

"Well, it seems he is doing a successful job of being 'mean' to Fujisaki," Lulu murmured.

"He doesn't know about my relationship with Rima-Chan though, so that can't be his motivation," Nagihiko pointed out.

"Actually, he does, come to think of it," Utau remembered. "When you were Berserk Phased, Rima made some comment about you being her boyfriend."

"Still, I doubt he remembered such a minor detail, after nearly six months," Ikuto pointed out.

"Does the motivation really matter? We should just focus on saving her." Amu stood up, seizing the attention. "I can't bear to imagine Rima right now, and I doubt any of you can." She turned to Nagihiko when she said that, who lowered his eyes. "We need to develop a plan and move quickly. This is Rima; one of my best friends. We can't just go on, analyzing Gravatus's possible motivation. He's completely insane, that's enough."

"YAY AMU-CHI!" Yaya started to clap, making Amu's face turn bright red.

"Well, we can't just barge into Easter and save her," Tadase pointed out. "We're going to need a plan. I don't think just us will be enough. I'm going to go speak to Tsukasa-San and get some information."

"No more briberies," Ikuto muttered. For the first time in months, Tadase turned to face Ikuto and smiled at him.

"I won't," He promised, heading out the door.

* * *

As he walked into the vast planetarium, he felt a wave of sudden comfort. Seeing the stars above him always made him feel welcome, even in a time like this. His heart was beating rapidly, as he walked toward the man he called his uncle. He was staring up at the stars, admiring them. Tadase already knew that Tsukasa knew he was there.

"It's funny… Normally, there is always a star shining in a path, but right now, all I can see is darkness."

"Well, that's reassuring," Tadase muttered sarcastically. He sat down in one of the many seats in the planetarium, and watched the stars as well. Unlike Tsukasa, he had no ability to understand fortunes or see anything helpful in the stars.

"What is it that you seek, my nephew?" Tsukasa asked, turning to face him.

"Mashiro-San is missing, but we are certain that she was captured by Gravatus," Tadase explained, looking at the ground. "It's my fault…" Tsukasa sat beside Tadase.

"Her abduction was inevitable," Tsukasa pointed out. "Gravatus often takes pleasure in intimidation and torment of others." He let out a long sigh. Tadase thought for a moment.

"How are we going to go about saving her?" Tadase wondered. "Charging in does not seem wise, so we'll need a plan…"

"You guardians alone are unable to do it. You will need more people." Tadase turned to Tsukasa inquisitively. "I will aid you." He glanced back up at the ceiling. "I believe that it is my destiny."

"Tsukasa-San, no offense, but you don't have a chara, so how exactly are you going to help out?" Tadase wondered.

"Don't underestimate me, my nephew." Tsukasa lightly chuckled. "We will discuss plans back at Yukari's household." Tadase nodded, following Tsukasa out of the planetarium. Tsukasa smiled back at it for a moment, before continuing to walk forward.

* * *

They arrived back at the house, and entered. Tsukasa greeted everyone, shaking hands with Yuu. Yukari stood behind her husband, cradling Ava gently in her arms.

"Did you find out anything?" Amu wondered to Tadase. He turned to face his ex-girlfriend, and shook his head slowly.

"Tsukasa-San offered to help us out," Tadase explained, smiling up at him.

"We will strike tomorrow," Tsukasa announced, making everyone glance up in surprise. "We need to be fully rested before we attempt something as dangerous as this."

"Okay, but let's face it; no one is really going to sleep," Ikuto muttered, his arms crossed.

"Still, we cannot rush into oblivion," Tsukasa urged. "First of all, we will need a plan. Yukari or Yuu, we will need one of you to be in charge of the car."

"I'll go," Yukari announced, without turning to discuss with Yuu.

"Wait, what?! Yukari, you went last time! It's dangerous," Yuu tried to reason.

"The danger is quite the reason I'm going." She turned to face her husband, smiling softly. "I couldn't risk you getting hurt."

"AWWW THAT'S SO SWEET!" Yaya and El interjected in unison. Both of them were ignored, but Utau rolled her eyes.

"I will serve as a distraction for Gravatus. We go back, and I have a few words I wish to say. While I do that, you guardians and other associates will sneak inside, split up, and find Mashiro-San. Of course, you should be prepared to fight Gravatus directly, at least some of you, because it is quite unlikely that this plan will progress as perfectly as intended. You should all be transformed."

"What about Nagihiko?" Tadase wondered, gesturing toward his friend. He glanced up as well, seemingly interested in the answer.

"We will need you to remain here with Yuu," Tsukasa explained. "Without a chara, it is quite dangerous sending you into Easter Headquarters."

"Especially considering how he was able to use your charas' eggs to harm you," Ikuto added. Nagihiko glanced at the ground.

"I could transform with one of Amu-Chan's charas, or Utau-Chan," Nagihiko urged.

"That still doesn't change the danger of using your guardian eggs against you."

"Nagi has to come. I know there is a lot of dangers going in, but he has to be there to save Rima. She means so much to him, and I know it would kill him to stay-"

"Amu-Chan, he's right," Nagihiko muttered, sighing. She turned to him, pity evident in her eyes. "Thank you for trying to back me up, but I really shouldn't go. I'll stay with Yuu and Ava."

"Well, now that we have our plan established more or less, this is your time to relax until tomorrow morning around ten when we will move out. Could someone get me tea?" Yua stood up to get tea for Tsukasa.

"Hey Utau, could I talk to you?" The pigtailed girl glanced up, seeing her boyfriend. She nodded, and followed him upstairs into her bedroom shared with Nagihiko and Ikuto. She closed the door and sat on Nagihiko's bed, which was the only actual bed in the room. Kukai sat beside her, his eyes fixated on the ground.

"What's up?" Utau wondered. It seemed like a redundant question at this point. Obviously, there was so much Kukai was concerned with in his life. One of his friends was currently kidnapped and no one knew her current condition. This entire world was something that no one could appreciate. Perhaps even optimistic Kukai could no longer see the light.

"I'm so scared," He whispered, the waver in his voice quite apparent. She looked at him, noticing tears forming in his eyes. "I-I don't even know how to process this anymore. It just doesn't seem fair. Rima, she's so freaking innocent. She doesn't deserve this, she didn't even do anything to qualify getting kidnapped _again_." He was sobbing now. "And Nagi…Can't you see the pain in his eyes?! He loves her, and he doesn't even know if she's okay… God, I know that feeling all too well."

"Sorry…" It was the only thing Utau could say. He glanced up, and cocked his head to the side.

"You couldn't help getting shot. God dammit, I just don't want to deal with that pain again, and I certainly don't want Nagi to relive that. This has to go right, for Nagi's sake, for_ everyone's _sake. God Utau, how do you do it?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Do what?" She wondered.

"Not breakdown? Stay strong? I'm so envious of you, although at least I have such a freaking strong girl to call mine."

"Kukai, you're strong yourself. The fact that you're still standing here proves that. I can't sob anymore, because I'm pretty sure I ran out of tears to shed." Kukai laughed slightly.

"I don't see you cry too much."

"Then, you clearly don't remember that time when I thought Ikuto killed himself."

"Point taken. Although, you didn't see how I was when I thought _you_ were gone. And now…geez. I'm pretty sure Rima used to hate me. I'm not even certain when it was when she considered me a friend. Perhaps when we both had the X-Virus at the same time was when we bonded? Now… She better be okay," Kukai whispered.

"Yeah…" There was silence for a moment between them.

"Say Utau… If tomorrow went completely wrong and-"

"Kukai, shut up. You aren't allowed to think pessimistically," Utau pointed out. Kukai laughed slightly.

"Just hear me out! So, on the off chance tomorrow went completely wrong, better?" Utau nodded, causing him to blush a little. "Well, anyway, if it did go wrong… would you have any regrets, something you wished you did before?"

"Sure. I never really found out my father's motivations for leaving me. I'd like to know what the hell my mother was thinking when she married Kazuomi. I…" Suddenly, something occurred to Utau. She looked back at Kukai, her eyes widening slightly. She formed a sly smile. "Are you implying something?"

"Implying? No, it was serious question; what would I be implying?" Utau's smirk remained intact, before Kukai's eyes widened tremendously and his face turned crimson. "Oh, um, no! I-I wasn't exactly, um, suggesting that, though, err, I-I wouldn't be against…anything…" Before he could falter any further, Utau kissed him, wrapping her arms around him. He responded quickly, kissing with equal force and hugging her closer to him. Their kiss became much more aggressive in a few seconds, with their tongues entering each other's mouths. Suddenly, Utau backed up a few inches, her nose on his nose.

"Are we actually going to do this? I-I mean you're only fifteen and-"

"You're seventeen," Kukai interrupted, his breath on her mouth. "I know. The thought ran through my head as we were kissing. Honestly, I was slightly shocked by your, err, interpretation of my question, but I did realize you were right; I don't want to die without…sleeping with you." He laughed nervously. "That sounds so much more awkward saying it."

"I agree, I don't want to die without doing that either, but… I just want to make sure you're ready. It's a big step…"

"I know. I love you Utau. I couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else. Normally, I would have waited many years before doing this, since I am only fifteen and doing it at that age seems quite scandalous, but I don't even know if I have much more. With all of this going on around us, I just… don't know anything, except for one thing and that's that I love you more than anything." Utau smiled.

"I love you too," She whispered. "I'm ready also, but there is something I need to do before we do this…" She moved away from him, and stood up.

"What's up?" Kukai wondered.

"We have enough problems on our plate, and I certainly would prefer not to get pregnant on top of that." Kukai laughed slightly, as Utau left the room. She walked into Yukari and Yuu's room, and quickly crept into their bathroom. She found a condom quickly, and placed it in her pocket, before leaving the bathroom. When she walked out, she found Yukari watching her curiously.

"Um, Utau? Why were you in my bathroom?" Yukari wondered, cradling Ava gently. Utau thought quickly on the spot, not really wanting to tell her the truth.

"I have my period," She blurted. "I ran out of tampons in my bathroom, so I was borrowing one."

"Ah, alright!" Yukari smiled softly. Utau left her room awkwardly, sighing a breath of relief. She went back into her room, finding Kukai waiting patiently. He grinned as she entered, closing the door behind her.

"Glad you're back!" Utau smiled, and sat on his lap, her legs surrounding him. She kissed him without any warning, and he gladly reciprocated. Before they knew it, their clothes were sprawled across the ground, and the only thing that mattered to them were each other and the intimacy.

* * *

"Hey Nagi-Tan?" Nagihiko glanced over at Yaya curiously. She swayed back and forth, seeming eager to ask something.

"What is it Yaya?" Nagihiko wondered.

"Well, Yaya doesn't really know where Kukai is, so Yaya was wondering if Nagi-Tan wanted to go and get candy with her." Nagihiko really didn't want to go out at the moment. He was not really in the mood to do something fun. However, Yaya seemed to desperately want it, and it had been so long since she had candy. He knew that Yaya cared a lot about Rima too, and that maybe she needed a break.

"Of course," He replied.

"Really?! Yaya was certain Nagi-Tan would say no!"

"We better get going before I change my mind." Yaya hugged him tightly, grinning immensely. Nagihiko returned the hug, smiling softly. They let go of each other, and went outside to the candy store. He shivered slightly, feeling the cool breeze on his neck. When they entered, Yaya marveled at the plethora of candies available.

"Yaya wants to buy the whole store!" Yaya exclaimed. "But, we don't have enough money…"

"I'm the heir of my family," Nagihiko reminded her. She turned to him. "I'm not saying that you should buy the entire store, because that isn't wise or healthy, but I'll pay for you."

"I love you Nagi-Tan!" Yaya exclaimed, running over to the machines and grabbing a plastic bag. She filled up the bag with the candies, pressing down on the handle. She got many different types of candies, and went to pay for them. Nagihiko followed her, and paid. Fortunately, it wasn't very expensive.

"Do you want to sit here and eat?" Nagihiko wondered. Yaya nodded, so they sat at a table in the back corner.

"Nagi-Tan, Yaya is so grateful that you're her friend, and Yaya isn't saying that because you bought her candy." Nagihiko beamed.

"You've always been one of my best friends as well. I would do anything for you, not just buy you candy." Yaya smiled, unlike most of her grins. It was extremely sincere, and it even surprised Nagihiko.

"Yaya knows how hard it is for you now. Yaya understands how much you love Rima-Tan, since that's how Yaya feels about Kairi-Kun. Yaya loves Rima-Tan too, but differently obviously. Yaya just wanted to let Nagi-Tan know that we will save her no matter what. It must suck not being able to come, but we will do anything to save her. And, even if everyone else is scared, Yaya isn't, because Yaya knows we will be successful! Maybe Yaya's being cocky, but I'm certain we will do it!" Nagihiko was completely stunned by her sudden change of perspective and referring to herself as I. The entire statement surprised him really, but he knew that Yaya truly did understand. He hugged her tightly.

"I don't doubt that you can," He whispered. However, he knew that he was lying to her. "No matter what happens, I love you Yaya-Chan. You're such a great friend."

"Teehee, for one of the first times, Yaya can really see how you and Nade are the same person!" Nagihiko deadpanned.

* * *

It was getting late, so Nagihiko and Yaya decided to walk back home. Once they arrived, they greeted everyone. A few minutes later, Kukai descended the stairs, grinning to himself. He hummed quietly, before getting himself some coffee.

"Um, Kukai?" Yaya burst into laughter. He turned to Yaya, raising an eyebrow. He held his coffee mug, and carried it over to the couch near Yaya and Nagihiko. "Your jean fly is unzipped…" Kukai's cheeks turned bright red, as he quickly adjusted them.

"Oh, well, uh, I hope I didn't have them all day unzipped…" Kukai scratched the back of his head. Nagihiko stared at Kukai, noticing his extra embarrassment. He suddenly pieced together his previous happiness and embarrassment.

"Kukai!" Nagihiko exclaimed, coming to realization.

"What?" Kukai wondered, puzzled.

"You…and Utau…" Kukai giggled slightly, before realizing what he did. He looked at the ground bashfully, but a mischievous grin was plastered across his face.

"YOU AND UTAU-CHI HAD SEX?!" Yaya exclaimed loudly. Kukai's face was completely crimson.

"Yaya! Don't scream it!" Kukai hissed, completely flustered.

"When did this happen?!" Nagihiko exclaimed.

"The past few hours… In Utau's room on the bed…"

"You and Utau had sex _on my bed_?!" Nagihiko exclaimed, horrified. "Not that I'm sleeping tonight, but most certainly I am not sleeping there!"

"You guys!~" Kukai whined.

"What's the commotion?" Ikuto wondered, lazily, walking over. "I didn't really hear much, but there was a lot of yelling."

"Oh, it's just that-" Kukai covered Yaya's mouth.

"NOTHING AT ALL!" Kukai bluffed loudly. Ikuto raised an eyebrow, but didn't really seem to care.

"Well, whatever it is, you should be quieter. Amu is sleeping, and I don't want to wake her. So, attempt to sleep or just be quieter." Ikuto walked away, prompting Kukai to sigh a breath of relief.

"Oh shit, if Ikuto knew about that…" Kukai shuddered.

"Rima-Chan would have gotten a laugh out of this," Nagihiko murmured, sighing softly.

* * *

The next day, after only Amu and a few others were able to sleep, everyone gathered in downstairs at nine. Yaya cracked her knuckles in preparation, causing Yua to cover her ears.

"Ugh, I _hate_ that sound!" She exclaimed. Yaya grinned, and continued to spite her.

"Are you all ready?" Tsukasa wondered. He was fully awake, having been one of the few people who managed to sleep, despite doing so on a couch. They nodded reluctantly. Yukari walked over to Yuu, and they embraced.

"Take care of Ava," She whispered, planting a kiss on his lips and handing her daughter over to him. Yuu cradled his daughter gently. Kairi nodded toward Yuu. Tsukasa led everyone out of the door, with Amu giving Nagihiko one last hug. Nagihiko sighed, not wanting to stay back and be unhelpful to saving Rima.

When they loaded into Yukari's car, they drove in silence. Kairi sat in the front seat beside his sister, with the others squeezing tightly in the back. Kukai and Utau sat beside each other, and they exchanged warm smiles.

"How are we going to fit Rima-Tan in here?" Yaya wondered, ending the silence.

"I don't think that's the concern…" Amu muttered.

Finally, they arrived outside the Easter Headquarters that they all have seen one too many times. Everyone filed out of the car, with the exception of Yukari. She hugged her little brother gently, before remaining in place.

"Hey guys! We should have a chant!" Kukai suggested. Everyone looked at him, puzzled. "You know, like what they do before a big game! Like, 1, 2, 3, guardians…and Tsukiyomis…and Tsukasa and Yukari and ex-guardians…"

"Nice try Souma," Utau teased, elbowing him. He winced in pain, before playfully shoving her back. They both smiled at each other.

"Is it me, or do they seem more…touchy than usual?" Lulu observed.

"Oh, trust Yaya; it's not you..." Yaya smirked evilly, and winked at Kukai. He frowned at Yaya. The sound of booming footsteps broke the light chatter. When all of them glanced up, they were faced with the sight of the man they did not like to see. Immediately, they all transformed with the exception of Tsukasa and Yukari who remained in the car.

"Amakawa Tsukasa, that's not a face I would have expected to see," Gravatus pointed out, smirking at him.

"It is quite difficult to forget the futile comment during my valedictorian speech, 'loser,'" Tsukasa noted.

"Well, it's nice to see the entire gang gathered, although my _son_ seems to be absent." He walked over. "And, it seems there is another missing, though she is presumably the reason you are here."

"Where is Rima?!" Amu demanded angrily.

"Don't be impatient; she is here, alive and breathing." Yaya crept backward slowly, and began walking inside Easter, as Tsukasa's plan suggested. No one noticed, with the exception of Kairi. He slowly shook his head, but Yaya ignored him or didn't notice. However, Kairi was not the only one that noticed.

"Sneaking in isn't a wise idea," Gravatus pointed out. Yaya froze in spot.

"Yaya!" Kukai exclaimed. Hearing footsteps beside them, Kairi turned, and saw his sister beside him.

"Yukari! What are you doing here?!" Kairi hissed.

"Screw waiting in the car; that's not me."

"I don't like naughty kids." Suddenly, Gravatus lifted a switch from his pocket. He opened the top, revealing a button. He pressed it, and a loud sound resulted. The entire Easter Headquarters was enflamed within seconds.

"Yaya!" Kairi cried, running in to try to save her.

"Kairi, don't you dare!" Yukari growled, following behind him.

"The second bomb will go off soon," Gravatus announced, smirking inwardly. He walked inside the building nonchalantly.

"Everyone, stay back!" Tadase yelled.

"Holy shit, Rima!" Amu, still transformed with Ran, dove into the building. Faintly, she heard Ikuto call her name, but she ignored him. She continued flying inside the building, seeing the familiar halls of the horrible building burning. Smoke was rising around her.

"RIMA!" Amu yelled again, searching anxiously for her friend. She heard a muffled sound that sounded like a moan. Amu ran toward it, seeing her friend tied up against the wall. Amu ripped off the tape, making Rima cringe slightly.

"A-Amu…" She moaned weakly. Amu helped her up, and began running with her, as the building further collapsed. Amu nearly tripped on something on the ground, but caught her balance. When she glanced down, she noticed a piece of paper that appeared untainted. She picked it up curiously.

"I wouldn't go too far with that if I were you." Amu and Rima turned, facing Gravatus. He held a gun firmly in his hand. Rima buried her head on Amu's shoulder.

"Leave Amu alone," Ikuto growled, tackling Gravatus to the ground. Taken aback, Gravatus fired the bullet. Rima screamed, having been shot in the shoulder.

"Rima!" Amu cried. She bellowed in pain, holding onto Amu.

"Amu, run," Ikuto announced, taking Rima from her. Amu nodded toward her boyfriend, and retreated out the window. Ikuto followed, leading Rima with him. Unfortunately, Gravatus was able to escape as well, but he went a different direction.

"IKUTO!" Utau cried, hugging her older brother. She stopped quickly, noticing the petite blonde he held. Ikuto put Rima down, noticing the blood that flowed out of her shoulder.

"She's losing a lot of blood quickly," Ikuto pointed out. "We need to go to a hospital." Amu and Utau nodded. Rima suddenly collapsed, due to loss of blood. Amu picked her up, and carried her to the others. She explained what happened.

A few minutes later, Kairi carried out an unconscious Yaya. Kukai ran over, reading her pulse. He desperately screamed her name over and over.

"What happened to Yaya?!" Tadase exclaimed.

"My speculation is that she inhaled too much smoke, due to the lack of cuts," Kairi hypothesized, placing his girlfriend gently on the ground. Kukai continued screaming her name, and even attempted CPR on her. "Where is my sister?" Kairi wondered.

"She followed you in I believe," Yua explained. Yua, Lulu, and Tadase stood up.

"Tsukasa?" Ikuto questioned.

"He was following Gravatus inside, I believe," Tadase whispered solemnly.

"Where are they now?!" Lulu exclaimed. Silence, with the exception of Kukai's shouts, was her reply.

"Yukari… no, she can't be…" Utau whispered. Kairi's eyes widened in disbelief. The second bomb suddenly sounded.

"Everyone, jump back!" Utau announced. She grabbed Kukai and Yaya, and flung them backward. The Easter Headquarters was suddenly only a dark figment of their memory. The only bit that remained was the abundance of debris.

"We need a hospital," Lulu pointed out.

"We can't leave," Kairi whispered. "My sister, she… She's still in there, she…" No one said anything to him.

"Who is going to drive?" Amu wondered.

"I can. I have a permit," Ikuto announced, going into the driver's seat. The others crowded in, Amu holding Rima and Kukai holding Yaya. Tadase pulled Kairi's arm away, though he was hesitant to leave as well.

"Yaya… Shit, Yaya, wake up, god dammit, please…" Kukai moaned.

"The hospital," Utau demanded with a slight waver in her voice, sitting beside Ikuto in the front. He nodded, driving swiftly.

"We need to call Nagi," Lulu pointed out.

"Nikaidou-Sensei…" Tadase whispered. "Ikuto-NiiSan, drop me off." His eyes widened when he realized how he addressed Ikuto. Ikuto nodded, briefly stopping the car in front of Yukari's place for Tadase to go in. They drove away quickly. He knocked aggressively on the door. Shortly after his knocks, Nagihiko opened the door.

"Tadase, what happened?! We heard an explosion, was that from…" Tadase nodded grimly. Yuu stood beside Nagihiko. Tadase looked at Yuu in the eyes, and felt tears dance down his face. Nagihiko put a hand on his shoulder. "Rima-Chan…?"

"She's unconscious," Tadase whispered. "Amu-Chan saved her, but Gravatus shot her shoulder. She's losing blood. Yaya is unconscious too. We don't know if…" Nagihiko's eyes turned dark. He turned back to Yuu, and took a deep breath. "Yukari and Tsukasa-San, they… The explosion…" Yuu's eyes widened.

"No…" He whimpered. Nagihiko took Ava from his arms. Tadase couldn't look at Yuu as he sobbed.

"We need to join the others at the hospital," Tadase muttered, wanting to say something comforting. Yuu nodded slowly, grabbing the car keys to the other car, and climbing in. Nagihiko and Tadase exchanged a grim glance.

* * *

Once the others arrived at the hospital, they immediately left the car, and carried Yaya and Rima to the hospital. Unfortunately, the hospital was extremely crowded.

"Our friends, they…" Amu tried to explain to the receptionist, but her sobs got the best of her. Ikuto wrapped his arm around her shoulders. The receptionist slowly nodded, and many paramedics ran over to them. They carried Yaya and Rima away on stretchers and brought them to a room. The others were guided to a waiting room just outside their room. Kairi walked away, clearly wanting privacy. Shortly after, Nagihiko carrying Ava, Tadase, and Yuu joined them. Seeing Kairi in the corner, Yuu walked over to him, and hugged him gently. Kairi rested his head on his brother-in-law's shoulder. Nagihiko turned to Amu, but she just shook her head. Tadase stared at the sky, noticing the sun shining through the clouds, attempting to shine its light, but utterly failing. He remembered what Tsukasa told him once; "you will find your beacon of light soon, guiding you to shore." Anxiety and melancholy were two emotions that were shared universally with everyone in the waiting room.

* * *

**I know, I am a horrible human being. Let me just clarify something; I mentioned there was personal problems, but that has absolutely nothing to do with the deaths I included in this story. I have been planning this chapter since even the X-Virus. It's particularly important, especially Yukari's death for future events. I was back and forth at first when I had the idea of killing of Yuu instead, but I decided Yukari's death was more meaningful and essential. Strangely enough, as much as I prefer Yukari as a character, the idea of killing off Yuu made me sadder. Again, I was nervous about writing this chapter, so I hoped I grasped the shock and emotion effectively. Please review/alert/favorite! A quick shout out to bluemoonbutterfly for being convinced that an explosion would occur in this story, and being correct! **


	14. Into Oblivion

**The beginning is slightly an homage to the first chapter of Umbrageous Universe, with Nagi waking up and knowing nothing. As usual, I own nothing, and enjoy this long chapter!**

* * *

White walls were the first thing Rima noticed, as her eyes drifted open. Everything that surrounded her was pure white. Unlike what she had grown to come acquainted with, nothing had even a stain of another color. It was simple around here, so it seemed. In that moment, as Rima stared at the ceiling above her, she felt a strange sense of tranquility. Yes, she was in an unfamiliar place, and she had not the faintest clue how she got there. However, there was no darkness at all surrounding her. There was complete silence; no screams of agony from her or her friends, no gunshots, no torture- just pure nothingness. A part of her wondered if she had died. Was this heaven? It was how people described it after all; perfectly white and isolated. Maybe getting shot in the shoulder caused her death; she may have lost too much blood. She normally never believed in an afterlife, but maybe it was possible.

A person opened the door, ending her theory about her death. The man wore a white outfit, making Rima immediately realize that he was a nurse. She wasn't in heaven; she was in the hospital. As the man walked into the room, she studied him. He looked fairly young, likely just out of college. They must have been desperate for employees. He could not have been much over twenty-one. He was kind of cute, Rima noticed, though he was nothing compared to Nagihiko's attractiveness. He seemed oblivious to her consciousness. He grabbed something from one of the drawers, before exiting the room, closing the door behind him. Before turning around, Rima noticed Kusu-Kusu float up, smiling softly.

Rima turned her head, seeing a wall separating her room from another. There was a glass wall in between, so she could see through. To her surprise, she could see Kukai and Nagihiko in the other room. Kukai looked absolutely hysterical. Nagihiko was comforting him, which seemed to be a change of pace for him, but even he looked really upset. Seeing the tears that descended his cheek made her want to walk over to him and embrace him, but she resisted the urge. Rima tried to make out the figure on the bed, but unfortunately, she could not see from the position on her bed. Through the glass, she could see Kukai shaking vigorously. She could hear him shouting, the words impossible to make out. Nagihiko tried to calm him down, but that seemed to be an impossible task. He had completely lost it. He fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Rima turned her head away from the wall, and stuffed her head into her pillow. She did not want to hear Kukai's melancholy any longer; she wanted to escape this evil world and fall back into tranquility. She did wonder why he was so upset. However, she was almost happy not knowing. Oblivion was something she would shortly grow to treasure.

The door opened slightly, the sounds from the outside world entering her room. It was loud and extremely frantic. People were being rushed into rooms, since they were at a hospital.

"Close the door!" Rima cried, her voice muffled by the pillow. Her outburst even surprised her. The door quickly closed, and before she could glance up, she found herself being hugged tightly. Rima turned around, hearing sniffles from the hugger. It didn't take her long to recognize the pink hair in her face. Amu separated, her eyes red and puffy.

"Oh my god, Rima, you're awake," Amu whispered, a solemn smile crossing her face. Rima studied Amu slowly. It didn't take Rima long enough to deduce something horrible happened.

"Amu…" Rima hugged her friend again. "You saved me," she whispered.

"Well, you're one of my best friends," Amu soothed. "I'm always there for you. I'm just glad you're alright, really…"

"Something happened, didn't it? The explosion… Gravatus… Did anyone…?"

"Yukari and Tsukasa," Amu interjected, looking really upset. Rima did not know how to react. "It was two days ago, the explosion. Gravatus shot you, and you lost a lot of blood. That's why you're here now. Their bodies were in the explosion, and unlike you, we couldn't save them. It just isn't fair… And Yaya…"

"Yaya…" Rima's eyes widened.

"We don't know," Amu whispered. "She tried to sneak in, but she inhaled too much smoke. Kairi saved her, but she's still unconscious. The doctors tell us she's in critical condition, and they don't know if…"

"No, not Yaya," Rima whimpered. She glanced back over at the room. It was Yaya laying in that bed. She couldn't even begin to fathom how Kukai could be feeling. Yaya was like his little sister. She was everyone's little sister. However, it wasn't the thought of Kukai that was the worst; it was Kairi. He was in love with Yaya, and he _did_ lose his sister. However, it wasn't fair that Yaya was here. She was so carefree and innocent. She had the most upbeat attitude of everyone, even Kukai. Rima suddenly remembered when they were trapped underneath the school together, what seemed like eras ago. The thought of Yaya possibly being gone was unfathomable.

"She was so confident it would go well, the plan. She thought it would be simple to just run in and save you. It's not fair…" Amu was sobbing again. "I should tell the others you're awake; I-I mean, they need some good news."

"Was I in critical condition?" Rima asked. It seemed wrong to ask a question about herself, but she was eager to know.

"The doctors were concerned, but not as greatly as they were for Yaya," Amu explained, sniffling. Both of them glanced over at the hysterical Kukai in the other room. Nagihiko tried to hug him gently, but he couldn't reassure him at all. Though slightly more composed, it was clear Nagihiko felt the identical emotions Kukai did.

"I'm going to try to get Kukai out of there. He's been there for two straight days, and he doesn't even move no matter what anyone says. Even Utau can't seem to make him budge." Rima nodded slowly, hearing Amu's footsteps exit the room. Soon, she saw Amu enter the adjacent room, and tap Kukai on the shoulder. Rima heard him shout no, and remain sobbing on the ground. Nagihiko looked at Amu, shaking his head slowly. They both tried to pry him off the ground, but Kukai refused to move. It was almost like watching a silent movie for Rima. It was quite obvious what was going on, despite her not being there. She could see Amu and Nagi talking, both of them whispering. Nagihiko kept gesturing to Kukai, somehow expressing his concern. Amu just kept nodding, and eventually exploded into sobs. Nagihiko hugged her tightly, running his fingers through her hair. Eventually, Amu picked up her head slightly, and uttered something. To Rima's surprise, Nagihiko glanced upward, and looked at her. He gave her the tiniest semblance of a smile, but it still meant something to Rima. He glanced back to Amu momentarily, saying something to her. Amu nodded, and Nagihiko left the room. Rima knew exactly where he was going.

The doorknob turned a few seconds later, revealing her boyfriend. Nagihiko walked over to the window where Yaya's fate was currently unknown, and close the curtains, so Rima could no longer see them.

"Nagi," Rima whimpered.

"Rima, I was so worried about you…" He sat beside her on her bed, and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back, and rested her head on his shoulder. Despite everything going utterly wrong, she felt somewhat reassured being in his arms.

"I almost wish I was still unconscious," Rima grumbled.

"No, please don't say that," He whispered. "I know you don't want to be here, but you don't know how it felt for us. I didn't even know for sure you'd make it. With Yaya, and everything… Oh god, I just…I need you Rima." He separated slightly from her, but kept his arms around her. Rima picked her head up, and allowed him to kiss her gingerly, her kissing him back. While their faces were inches away from each other, she could visibly see the tears that he shed and the bags underneath his eyes.

After kissing for a couple of seconds, they separated slightly, their noses still touching. Rima reached up, and slowly caressed his cheek, wiping his tears away.

"Tears don't suit you," She whispered, remembering their conversation from ages ago. It seemed impossible that it could have only been a year ago, less even. Nagihiko smiled softly, placing his hand over her hand that rested on his cheek. He laced his fingers with hers. They stayed like that for a few minutes, sitting in total silence.

Suddenly, Rima remembered the darkness of the Easter Headquarters. She remembered Gravatus's kicking, and being tied up. She remembered the sudden eruption of flames, and being shot in the shoulder. All of it added up to being kidnapped a second time, and the memory of that frightened her. She whimpered loudly, removing her hand from Nagihiko's cheek and wrapped her arms roughly around him.

"Easter…" She moaned. "Gravatus, he…I was tied up and kicked and punched, a-and then the bomb and-"

"Shh," Nagihiko tried to soothe, hugging her closer to his body. She rested her head on his shoulder, shaking in fear. He ran his fingers through her blonde curls and her back. "It's all over now, don't worry. You aren't kidnapped anymore. I won't let you get hurt anymore, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Rima murmured, her voice muffled by Nagihiko's shoulder. She wasn't sure if he heard her, until he kissed the top of her head gently.

"I will keep this one," He reassured. "Because I couldn't bear to go through the pain of oblivion again; the pain of not knowing if the girl I loved with a passion was okay." Rima closed her eyes, and loosened her grip on him slightly. He continued to stroke her back gently, carefully avoiding her shoulder where she was shot. Holding her somehow provided Nagihiko with a sense of serenity. However, before he could stop himself, he felt a few tears cascade down his cheeks.

* * *

Kukai finally managed to stop shouting and crying, and instead, he sat on one of the chairs, waiting anxiously. He was not completely certain what exactly he was waiting for. The doctors said that Yaya was in critical condition, and it could change any time from this day to a week. The world around him seemed irrelevant. Sure, Yukari and Tsukasa's deaths did affect him. He was concerned about Rima. However, he had not had the time to process any of that. In fact, ever since Yaya was unconscious and deemed in critical condition, Kukai lost his sanity. He was a lifeless zombie, unsure of what exactly to do. He was unaware of the comforting Amu tried to provide. His eyes either studied the ground or Yaya. In fact, he did not even notice the opening of the door.

"Anything new?" Utau asked, turning to Amu.

"Which one?" Amu muttered. "Because the answer remains exactly the same. Well, Rima's awake now, but these two are exactly the same." Utau sighed.

"Good for her," Utau muttered, sitting beside Amu. She glanced over at Kukai, who seemed to be completely unaware of her appearance. "I think he is in shock and disbelief. His mind is not allowing him to process the possible thought of Yaya being gone."

"But we're all in shock…"

"Not the way he is. He is literally lost in his mind somewhere. We all don't want to believe it, but we do. Kukai... his mind is forcing him to not believe it."

"Did you do some research?" Amu wondered.

"No, not really. I spoke to my brother about it, and apparently that's more or less how he felt regarding my unconscious state. Plus, Kairi seems to be reacting in a similar manner."

"Oh god, Kairi," Amu whispered. "He must be completely broken. His sister _and_ Yaya… Tsukasa was his principal too."

"Yeah… I can't even try to imagine how either Kairi or Kukai feel. If Ikuto… Oh god, I can't even say it." Utau glanced at the ground. "But, Sanjou-San was like an older sister to me. She was more than just my manager; for god's sake, she let me sleep in her house! She was always there for me, and… she can't be gone. She just…she can't be…" Amu had never seen her friend like this. Utau was in the verge of tears, but she quickly stopped herself.

"You know Utau, sometimes it's healthy to cry," Amu whispered.

"I ran out of tears to shed," Utau muttered. "I can't break down yet; not until this is over. Until fucking Gravatus gets what he deserves." She clenched her fists. Suddenly, the door opened, revealing two vaguely familiar figures beside a doctor. The man was pulling a stroller. They did not say anything to Amu or Utau, and watched in horror at Yaya.

"No…" The woman whispered, looking absolutely distraught. The man looked equally horrified and upset.

"She doesn't deserve to be here…" The man whispered. The baby seemed to be unaware of what was going on. Amu looked at the baby, and suddenly realized who they were.

"You're Yaya's parents," Amu realized. They looked at Amu, and nodded. They nodded at Utau, and turned to face Kukai. She remembered Kukai and Yaya always talking about how close their families are. Kukai considers her parents as aunt and uncle, and Yaya to Kukai's parents.

"Kukai…" Yaya's mother whispered. To Amu and Utau's dismay, Kukai turned his head to face them, his eyes full of tears. He walked over to them, and hugged Yaya's parents, crying hysterically. They were crying too. Amu and Utau exchanged a glance.

"You two are friends with my daughter also, right?" The two girls nodded. Yaya's mother walked over to them. "I remember you… Amu, right?" Amu nodded slowly. She turned to Utau. "Ah, Yaya has talked about you also; you're the famous one, Utau?" She nodded as well.

"Yaya would be pleased that you found her," Utau muttered. "Parents actually showing up means a lot to someone."

"She has to wake up," Yaya's father whispered. He picked up Tsubasa, cradling him gently. He looked over at Utau and Amu. "I apologize for your loss. The doctors told me about Yukari and Tsukasa, Yaya's principal. She always talked rather highly about Yukari, calling Yukari her future sister-in-law."

"That sounds so typical," Kukai whispered, laughing slightly. Amu and Utau watched him, surprised. "Oh, and for the record, my mind is not forcing me not to believe it; it's getting in the way of me trying not to believe it." Yaya's parents walked over to Yaya, and gently stroked her hair.

"We missed her so much. We tried so hard to try to get contact, but we didn't want to leave Tsubasa alone either. We knew she had to be safe though, because we knew she was with Kukai, and Kukai would not let her get hurt." Kukai began to sob.

"I'm so sorry," He whispered, his voice completely wavering. "I couldn't save her, I-I…"

"No, I didn't mean it like that," Yaya's mother smiled at him. "We were informed of the explosion. There was nothing you could have done. But I do want to thank you for taking care of her up until now. As you all know very well, Yaya is quite the talker, but she raves about you Kukai more than anything, even during her Kairi-obsession phase. She trusts you more than anything or anyone else. I know you've protected her from numerous things. Our little Yaya never even got the X-Virus. Kukai, no words can describe how grateful we are for you." Kukai tried to smile softly, but he found himself unable to. He tried to open his mouth, but he was unsuccessful, and broke down in tears instead.

"I know that means a lot to him," Utau pointed out, standing up and hugging him. He rested his head on her shoulder, and soaked it.

"You two are dating, Yaya has told us many times. She does think you two are one of the cutest couples, or, as I quote, 'besides Kairi-Kun and Yaya,'" Utau smiled softly.

"Sounds exactly like something Yaya would say."

"We tried so hard to break that third-person habit," Yaya's father whispered. "However, she can be quite stubborn at times and refused to stop." Both parents had some tears pouring down their cheeks.

"If you need anything, Utau and I can help," Amu whispered.

"Thank you," Yaya's mother told her. "I also know that Nagi…err, Nagihiko visits a lot. Sorry, Yaya always refers to him as 'Nagi-Tan.'" Utau and Amu laughed slightly. "Send him my thanks also."

"We will," Amu promised.

"Feel better Yaya." Yaya's father kissed the top of her head. Yaya's mother as well, and they brought Tsubasa up to her as well, who seemed utterly perplexed. "We won't be far. It's getting late for Tsubasa. We will be back tomorrow though."

"Thank you for coming," Utau informed them.

"This our daughter; we couldn't just leave her," Yaya's father whispered. Suddenly, the door opened again, revealing Kairi. Amu and Utau looked at him, as if he was foreign. His glasses reflected light, hiding any emotion concealed underneath.

"Hey…" Amu started, walking over to him.

"I do not require pity," Kairi mumbled, walking past her. He walked over to Yaya's side, and merely watched her.

"You're Kairi, correct?" He turned around, facing Yaya's parents and Tsubasa.

"I presume that you are Yaya-Chan's parents?" They both nodded.

"Yaya always ranted to us about your eloquent speech and 'hot in a geeky way' appearance." Kairi pushed up his glasses, but lowered his eyes. "We heard about your sister. I apologize immensely for your loss."

"Yeah…" His voice sounded hoarse. "She always found Yaya-Chan amusing, and she was a large propagator of our relationship…"

"Yaya always looked up to her, and claimed she would be a fantastic sister-in-law," Yaya's father repeated. There was silence in the room, although Kukai's muffled sobs broke it slightly. Everyone knew that Yukari could never be Yaya's sister-in-law, and Yaya may not even be able to marry Kairi one day.

"I have to go," Kairi muttered, running his fingers through Yaya's hair, and walking out the door.

"I promise, Kairi never normally acts rude," Kukai whispered, removing his head from Utau's shoulder. "As you know, he's going through a lot too. He really cares a lot about her, and would do anything for her. He's a perfect match for her."

"We understand," Yaya's father whispered. "He lost his sister. We know for sure he must be pretty good for Yaya, especially if you of all people allows Yaya to date." Kukai smiled slightly.

"We better get going. It's getting late, and we need to make sure we're home so we aren't robbed." Yaya's mother looked at Kukai. "I don't think we need to tell you this, but look after her."

"Always," Kukai whispered.

"We'll be back tomorrow," Yaya's father promised, leading him and his wife out, with Tsubasa back in his stroller. A nurse came in as soon as they left.

"Visiting hours are over," She announced.

"No," Kukai muttered.

"Kukai, you're leaving today," Utau urged. "For god's sake, you need to eat something! Yaya will be okay, I promise; she's in good hands with the doctors." The nurse nodded in agreement.

"But…"

"Come on Kukai," Amu pleaded. He walked over to Yaya, and kissed the top of her head gently.

"I love you so much Yaya," He whispered. "I'll be back tomorrow, kay? I'll come earliest I can. Maybe I'll even sneak a candy in." He waited eagerly, as if he was expecting her to wake up. Not to his surprise, she didn't budge.

"We should get Nagi as well," Amu pointed out. Utau linked her arm through Kukai's and forced him out. Kukai was extremely reluctant to leave.

* * *

"Visiting hours are over," The nurse told Nagihiko and Rima. Nagihiko, still holding Rima in his arms nodded slowly.

"I'll be out shortly," He promised. The nurse nodded, leaving the room to give them some privacy.

"I hate hospitals," Rima grumbled.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to feel the same way," He agreed. "You're awake now, so I'm sure you won't be here much longer." Rima nodded slowly.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" She wondered.

"Of course," He promised, kissing her cheek.

"I don't want to be alone though," She moaned, grabbing his shirt. "It might sound kind of stupid, but I'm too scared to be on my own. I was the same way after my first kidnapping attempt. I had to sleep with my mother. Can't you stay, just for the night?"

"It's not stupid at all," Nagihiko reassured. "You won't be alone though; you'll have Kusu-Kusu."

"Yeah, but, she can't exactly protect me from a kidnapper," Rima mumbled. "I just… I want to be physically close to someone…not sexually, but just…beside you…"

"Maybe they can make an exception," Nagihiko whispered, stealing a kiss from her on the lips. She eagerly responded back. There was a knock on the door, surprising them both. They turned toward the door, both of them blushing. Amu, Utau, and Kukai stood outside.

"We asked the doctor, and long story short, Rima can come home tonight," Amu explained. Rima smiled softly and intertwined her fingers with Nagihiko. He helped her up, and led her out of the hospital room. They walked into the waiting room. Everyone else nodded, and headed back home, with the obvious exception of Yaya.

"You know, we always referred to this place as Yukari's," Yua noted. "I mean, it's equally Yuu's home, but it's always Yukari's place."

"It always will be," Yuu whispered solemnly, opening the door. Yua helped Ava fall asleep, and put her in her crib beside Yuu's bed. Due to everyone's exhaustion, it didn't take long for anyone to fall asleep with the exceptions of Kairi and Yuu, Nagihiko and Rima sharing a bed in Nagihiko's shared room with Ikuto and Utau (he made the bed sheets inside out). Ikuto and Utau slept in their respectful gender's room.

* * *

Unable to sleep, Kairi walked into Yuu's room, wanting to talk. Not to his surprise, Yuu was not asleep. He glanced up as Kairi entered the room, not uttering a smile.

"I'm glad you came," Yuu whispered. "I've been wanting to talk to you."

"What needs to be said?"

"Kairi, I know how much she meant to you. You were always a priority to her. Every important decision we made together was always with you in mind. She wanted the best for you, and she didn't want you to ever get hurt. Since she cannot anymore, I'll look after you the way she did, or at least my very best. I never grew up with a little sibling, I was always the youngest, but I'll do my best."

"I appreciate that," Kairi whispered. "She truly loved you as well. Even when you two first separated, she always regretted it and knew that she had made a colossal error. She was overjoyed when you two got back together."

"Me too," He whispered, tears building up in my eyes. "No… I have to stay strong. Yukari was one of the strongest women I knew, no, _the_ strongest. She would tell me to shut up and move on. I have something important I need to take care of." He looked over at the child who was only a month old. "Yukari loved her so much. She couldn't wait to know her as she grew…"

"Ava has her hair color," Kairi whispered.

"Wow, I never even noticed she was beginning to have her hair. She's beautiful…" He watched his daughter, smiling gently.

"I ought to get going. You should at least attempt to sleep." Yuu turned to Kairi.

"Maybe you're right… Kairi, I just want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I want to be your brother."

"I would appreciate that." Kairi turned to the door, and left. He quietly tip-toed through the boys' room, and character changed to sit on the roof.

"Kairi, you mustn't dwell upon your sister. Your sadness is understandable, but you must work to protect the living," Musashi tried to reassure.

"I know," He whispered, staring into the night sky. "I once believed that I understood the emotions of people. However, this past year, I have learned of three emotions that have not ceased to baffle me; love, melancholy, and fear. These three emotions are impossible to fathom, I have come to suffice. I hypothesize that they are all intertwined. Fear often results as an effect of concern for the one you love, which often results in melancholy. I could have never speculated that I could feel these three emotions all at once, each of them quite powerful." Kairi sighed. "I do not know how I can persevere without my sister. I looked to her for advice. She was…my sister, the closest family I had." His glasses soon became completely fogged. "And Yaya… I cannot fathom losing her too. She…I never understood love, I still do not, but maybe I finally have some clarity on the emotion. Because…I love Yaya." He was crying immensely now. "How could I lose two of the people that mean the most to me? I miss my sister, but I cannot go without Yaya either… I just fear that she won't…" Kairi could no longer speak. "I'm too young for this…"

"Kairi…" Musashi whispered, unsure of how to help. Kairi stayed situated on the roof for a few more hours, before heading inside finally.

* * *

Nagihiko woke up at six in the morning. He smiled, seeing Rima beside him. She was still sound asleep. Not wanting to wake her, Nagihiko exited the room, and went downstairs, seeing Amu and Tadase. They turned to him, uttering a half smile.

"Morning," He greeted, eating a breakfast bar for breakfast.

"Kukai already headed out," Amu told him. Nagihiko nodded slowly.

"I'm not surprised…"

"Oh, Amu-Chan was just telling me about some sheet of paper she found in the Easter Headquarters," Tadase started, and then realized how he addressed Amu. "Err, I apologize! I-I don't…"

"No, you were fine," Amu reassured. "We're friends."

"Yeah…" He looked slightly sad to Nagihiko, but it seemed unrelated to Amu. "Nagihiko, is Rima-Chan alright?"

"Well, she's doing as well as anyone else really," Nagihiko admitted. "But physical pain wise, she is doing loads better. Her shoulder hurts slightly, but it's tolerable according to her."

"That's good." Amu smiled. "Oh, well, let me show you guys the sheet." They sat down beside Amu on a couch, as she opened it up. Unfortunately, the sheet seemed to be in a different language.

"You found this inside of Easter?" Nagihiko inquired.

"Yeah, and I found it peculiar that it was not burned or anything," Amu explained.

"You should work on translating it," Tadase suggested. "I'm going to go out for a bit." To Amu and Nagihiko's surprise, he abruptly stood up, and exited the door.

"He's been acting really strange these past two days," Amu noticed. "I mean, we're all shaken up, but I'm really concerned about him."

"I think he is somehow taking the blame for Rima's hospitalization," Nagihiko explained. "He blames himself for her initial abduction, because he spoke to her father."

"Do you want me to go after him?" Nagihiko and Amu looked up, seeing Lulu all dressed.

"That's probably a good idea," Amu agreed, as Lulu retreated out of the door.

* * *

Tadase stood beside the planetarium. It hurt him that Tsukasa, his uncle, was gone. However, no matter what anyone said, he knew it was his fault. If he had not told Rima's father, Rima would have never gone out initially, and none of this needed to happen. Yukari and Tsukasa could have still been alive. Rima would not have been scared out of her mind. Yaya, a girl Tadase deemed family, would definitely be okay. It was all his fault that everyone was grieving and mourning. He did not want to cause anyone else more harm. He couldn't be here anymore. He gripped the knife in his hand, and slowly brought it to his chest.

"Tadase stop!" Kiseki tried to shout.

"Kiseki's right!" Suddenly, Tadase was tackled to the ground, his knife falling to the ground. On top of him was Lulu, who was usually considered formal.

"Yamamoto-San?" Tadase inquired, puzzled.

"Don't do it, Tadase," Lulu muttered. "It's stupid. Do you really want your friends to grieve more? You would have lost your chara! I thought your dream was to protect those you loved. How can you protect people if you are dead?" Tadase realized at once she was right.

"How…did you know that?" Tadase wondered.

"W-Well, since I manipulate people's dreams, Nana can read peoples' dreams for the future. So, I know why everyone has their chara. For example, Rima wants to provide people with happiness and detests seeing sadness on those she loves. Kukai loves sports, but he also wants to be reliable and trustworthy, and look after people. That's why I was initially attracted to him, because he was so confused about Utau, because she could not be trustworthy for her actions, and he just seemed so lost and confused. However, his level of loss and confusion has never been higher than now." Lulu sighed. "My point is, I can see what you feel. You believe that you have let your friends down, Rima specifically. You could never protect those you adore. That is not true though. You have not let anyone down, and they trust you still. Thus, suicide is not a correct approach." Tadase stared at her, marveled.

"Lulu…" He whispered, surprised. She shrugged.

"I've only been able to do it fairly recently, once Amu showed me who I truly was. I've always wanted to return the favor."

"It's amazing," Tadase exclaimed. Lulu blushed slightly. "Thank you, for saving me. I was going to do something extremely stupid, and I'm just happy you saved me." He turned to his chara. "I'm so sorry Kiseki."

"Don't doubt yourself Tadase," Kiseki stated. "You're the king, and everyone looks up to you." Tadase smiled. He looked back at Lulu, and hugged her gently. Lulu seemed quite surprised by this action, too stunned to return the hug.

"We should head back," She murmured. Tadase nodded, letting go of her. They walked back together, in complete silence.

* * *

**I managed to make myself finally like Lulu. There will be even more character redemption later as well for her, no worries. Also, notice how Nagihiko called her Rima without an honorific ;). So, this chapter was really depressing and long, but I hope you guys enjoyed! Just for the record, I have officially decided that there will be 19 chapters, plus an epilogue. In case I haven't made it obvious enough, there will not be another sequel. Please review/favorite/alert! Thanks for everything thus far!**


	15. Justification

**Hello everyone! I have an announcement to make. I am going on vacation tomorrow, so I will not be able to update from the ninth to the eighteenth. However, I think I will leave you guys off at a satisfying place. We will finally have some answers in this chapter. Also, not to be a snob, but I have been receiving less reviews lately which is quite upsetting. So, you know, if you want to truly please an author… ;) Okay, enough complaining and onto the story. I own nothing, and enjoy!**

* * *

_"Daddy!" A young blonde girl called, watching her father walk over to the door. He opened the door, and slammed it behind him. A door separated her from the father that raised her for six years. She had thought he would return in only a few seconds. He was probably going to the groceries, or something. Mother was always busy, so that is what young Utau figured. Eventually, she heard footsteps. Her mother made her way to the door rapidly, unlocking it quickly. She wore only a robe, as she opened the door to the light outside._

_ "Aruto!" Her mother yelled, in an attempt to seize his attention. "Aruto, please, come back! I can explain, I promise! Aruto, please!" Her mother was screaming, and seemed hysterical. Utau didn't understand her melancholy._

_ "It's okay Mommy; Daddy just went to the groceries," Utau tried to reassure. Her mother didn't look at her daughter. _

_ "You're only six…" Souko whispered, staring at the outside world. _

_ For the next week, Utau constantly waited for her father to return. It didn't take a week to go grocery shopping, even Utau knew that. She was completely baffled._

_ "Iku-Nii?" Utau called one day. He glanced up, holding a violin that belonged to Aruto. "That's Daddy's violin! That's not nice to steal from people!" Ikuto didn't smile. _

_ "It's not stealing, if the owner isn't coming back to claim it," Ikuto muttered. Utau cocked her head to the side._

_ "What do you mean, Iku-Nii?"_

_ "Don't be stupid Utau! Dad's not coming back. He left us. He abandoned us because of Mom." Utau looked at Ikuto, confused._

_ "But, Daddy loves us, right?"_

_ "I thought so," He whispered, gently plucking the violin strings. "Utau, can I promise you something?" Utau looked at her brother. "Maybe Dad left us, but I will never leave you. No matter what happens, I will always be there for you."_

* * *

"Ikuto!" Utau called, fumbling through her closet full of dresses. Her brother peered over toward her. "What the hell is appropriate to wear to a funeral?!"

"Black," Ikuto told her. "Nothing too fancy though; it is rude to make much of a statement." It had been a week since the explosion and Yukari and Tsukasa's death. Like everyone else, the Tsukiyomi siblings struggled with coping. Ikuto had looked up to Tsukasa at one time to take care of him, and Yukari had been so much more than just a manager to Utau.

"None of my black dresses are appropriate," Utau muttered, her hands on her hips. "Yukari and I initially got this place for my singing rehearsals. I didn't think I would have to buy a funeral dress. Maybe I should have once I knew about the X-Virus."

"You should wear the blue one." Both siblings glanced up, facing Yuu. He wore a tuxedo, with his tie not fastened correctly. "She always loved that dress. Oh, and Utau? I know she would really have appreciated it if you sang at the funeral. I know it is last minute, but I hope you can accept."

"Yuu, I…" Utau sighed. "Are you sure?"

"If that is alright for you."

"I…It would be my honor." Yuu smiled at her softly, and then turned to Ikuto. Ikuto nodded in his direction. Utau knew that Ikuto and Yuu had a similar relationship that her and Yukari had, but it was not as close. Having heard the doorbell, Yuu walked downstairs to get the door, as if expecting someone.

"I'll let you get changed. I have a suit I should change into as well." Ikuto walked away, leaving Utau to dress into her blue dress. It was light blue, and almost sparkled. She was planning on wearing it for her upcoming concert, which had never actually occurred due to the X-Virus. There was one song she had been working on for some time, but never had the chance to publish it. It had been Yukari's favorite, saying that Utau sounded the most pure during it.

Utau knew that she had an extremely low chance of making it through the song accurately. However, she could not just pass up Yuu's request. There was another reason she was doing it as well. This wasn't just Yukari's funeral; it was Tsukasa's as well. She knew that her father and Tsukasa knew each other, and surely, her father would not miss this occasion. It was only once on a blue moon that Utau had the opportunity to sing to her father.

* * *

Yuu walked over to the front door, gulping. He cradled Ava in his arms, ready to introduce her to her grandparents. Surprisingly, it had been the Sanjou parents that contacted him, having somehow heard the news. Yuu opened the door, revealing his mother and father-in-law. Neither of them had smiles on their faces, as they hugged him tightly.

"She loved you so much," His mother-in-law whispered.

"I loved her too," Yuu whispered weakly. "It would have meant the world to her that you two came. She wanted to find you two for so long. She wanted to introduce you to Ava too." Yuu lifted the baby in his arms, whose eyes were fastened shut.

"Oh my god, I didn't even know our daughter was pregnant," His father-in-law exclaimed. Yuu nodded slowly, feeling tears fall down his cheeks.

"We found out right when the virus was sent around," Yuu explained. "Fortunately, both of us managed to remain healthy, and she was born with no abnormalities. Ava Nadine Nikaijou."

"She's beautiful," Both parents marveled. Yuu handed his daughter to her grandparents. They watched her, smiling widely.

"…Mother? Father?" The Sanjou parents glanced up, seeing their son watching from the stairs. His glasses concealed all emotions he felt. His mother and father walked over to him, and hugged him, handing Ava back to Yuu. He watched the family reunion. Kairi's father motioned for Yuu to join them. Yuu complied, hugging as well. He never took Kairi for the hugging type, but now, he was sobbing on his mother's shoulder, uttering incomprehensible words.

* * *

Miki panted heavily, feeling quite exhausted. She landed on Amu's shoulder, completely exasperated. Amu turned to face her second chara, and smiled at her.

"Thanks Miki, you're a life saver!" Amu told her, smiling. Everyone admired their black outfits conveniently made by Amu's chara. Miki lifted up her thumbs, before closing her eyes to nap. Amu's other charas laughed at her. Eventually, Utau and Ikuto joined the group, Utau standing out with her brighter colored dress.

"What's up with your blue dress?" Lulu wondered, raising an eyebrow skeptically. Utau turned to her, frowning slightly.

"You'll just have to wait and see," Utau promised. Ikuto walked over to Amu, and hugged her from the back. She relaxed, allowing his arms to surround her and provide her with warmth.

"Are you all ready?" Yuu called from the lower floor. Everyone nodded, and joined everyone else downstairs. They greeted Kairi's parents and Kairi himself. He merely acknowledged their presence with a slight nod. The guardians and others made their way to the cars, separating into two groups. Some went with Yuu and others went with Kairi's family.

"I wish my parents were going," Tadase whispered, sitting in Yuu's car. "I mean, Tsukasa is my mother's brother, so I know she would want to know…" Utau and Ikuto exchanged glances. To Tadase's dismay, when they drove up to the cemetery, Tadase's parents were standing there.

"M-Mother?! Father?!" Tadase exclaimed, walking over to them in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry to hear this news," Tadase's father whispered, hugging his son. In complete disbelief, Tadase returned it.

"H-How did you-"

"Maybe in time they haven't always done the right thing, but certainly they pulled through for this." Tadase looked at who his mother was smiling at, and to his surprise, saw Ikuto and Utau. They gave Tadase comforting smiles. He returned it, walking over to them.

"I don't know what to say…"

"It was the least we could do," Ikuto reassured him. "Things have been difficult for everyone, but I know how hard you've been taking it. Utau and I haven't been completely fair to you, so this is to make it up."

"Thank you…" Tadase whispered solemnly.

"Everyone, take your seats," The funeral director instructed. Everyone complied, taking seats around the two gravestones. The guardians, Ikuto, Yua, and Lulu sat in the front row. Kairi sat with his family and Yuu, with Ava still fast asleep. Utau stood somewhere else, waiting for her chance to shine.

"Due to the inclement circumstances, the funeral will not progress as normally. The bodies of Yukari Sanjou and Tsukasa Amakawa were not able to be retrieved, but I can safely assure you, their souls will live eternally." He continued talking about them, though it was difficult to hear by the amount of tears. Nagihiko watched, feeling overwhelmed. It was disheartening to be here in the first place, due to the fact this was his principal and Yukari was always kind to him. However, he found himself diverting his thoughts to someone who only passed away three weeks ago; his mother. He would never be able to attend her burial, due to the fact she was being buried in France. He understood how they felt. He was like Ava, the child without a mother, except that Ava at least had a loving father. Nagihiko's father was the reason his mother was dead, and the reason Yukari and Tsukasa were too.

Apparently, his feelings were not too concealed, for suddenly, he felt Rima's hand take his. He looked at her for a moment, but her eyes remained focused on the ground. It soon dawned on him that she had lost her mother too. If anyone understood how he felt, it was Rima. He moved slightly closer to her, and gingerly kissed the top of her head. Rima glanced up at him finally, smiling softly.

"Nagi, do you have any painkillers?" She whispered quietly.

"No, sorry," He replied back. "Your shoulder?" She bleakly nodded. He put his arm around her, gently around her shoulder, and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Along with everything that Yukari was, she was also a manager to a very successful singer. This singer, Utau Hoshina, would like to present a song that the two of them had been preparing together." Utau stepped beside the funeral director, her blue dress sparkling in the sun. She held her microphone firmly in her hand, and faced the small crowd in front of her.

"It's Tsukiyomi," She muttered under her breath. She lifted the microphone to her lips. "Yukari, you were the best manager, and friend, I could have ever asked for." She took a deep breath, before beginning to sing. She noticed Ikuto looking up at her, smiling up at her, as he seldom does. However, the presence in the far back of the cemetery was what really inspired Utau, besides Yukari and possibly Tsukasa. Her father watched her, seemingly excited for this performance. She closed her eyes briefly, and began singing a song that had meant so much to her, even before all of this; Blue Moon **(a/n: YouTube cue!)**.

Everyone watched her in utter bewilderment. Her voice was alluring and even charismatic. Just a simple note attracted the audience around her. It was a somber occasion, but somehow, her voice provided a distraction from reality; protected them from the truth in front of them. The emotion conveyed in the song was palpable. Even Kukai managed to look up at her, despite being in his depressed state. Despite all the concern he felt for Yaya, he managed a true smile for his girlfriend. Utau noticed, only further fueling her voice.

"My god, she's even better than how I remembered her," Tadase's mother whispered. Tadase's father merely nodded, stunned. A smile crept upon Tadase's face, hearing his parents finally speak positively about them. Feeling eyes on him, he turned, facing Lulu. Lulu's face turned bright red, as she turned away rapidly.

"That's my girl," Aruto whispered from far away. Once Utau's song ended, everyone stood up and applauded. Utau watched her father in the back, and smiled, seeing his hands clapping together. Despite the occasion, she had been dreaming of her father hearing her sing for so long. Nothing could match the euphoria she felt; the assuaging feeling she felt upon having her father hear her song.

* * *

The funeral ended, and everyone returned to their houses. Reluctantly, Kairi and Yuu bid the Sanjou parents farewell, since they had to return to their house. Tadase said goodbye to his parents as well, and promised to visit. Everyone else relaxed, attempting to cope after the poignant ceremony.

"Utau, Ikuto, I wish to speak to you." The siblings turned, facing their father. They nodded, following him to a private room. Once they were alone, Aruto let out a sigh, turning to Utau. "Utau, your performance was marvelous. I cannot fathom how great you are."

"I-I…" Utau was at a loss of words, though the smile plastered across her face spoke for itself. Ikuto looked at their father.

"What is it that you wanted?" Ikuto wondered, his arms crossed. Aruto took a deep breath, and sighed dramatically.

"I owe you two an explanation. I suppose it is eleven years overdue, but I need to explain myself to you two." Utau's smile vanished, though she appeared quite eager. Ikuto reciprocated the anxiety felt by her. "The truth is… Kai wasn't always so horrible."

"How does this relate to your departure?" Utau wondered, crossing her arms as well.

"Kai's insanity must have been a result of it. Believe it or not, we were once normal brothers, though I can presume not nearly as close as you two. Once I left for college, we became separated. Growing up, we had cruel parents that practically ignored. Kai felt betrayed upon my decision to leave him, so he ran away. We lost contact for years. Eventually, we became reconnected after several run-ins previously, but he had changed, and impregnated a woman, Natsumi Fujisaki."

"Nagihiko…" Ikuto realized. Aruto nodded.

"He begged for my help, however, I could not offer it to him. It was his own life, and I could not help him out. Perhaps that was a vast mistake, but I cannot be certain." Aruto sighed. "I trusted him to take care of you two when I left, but it saddens me that he could not keep the promise."

"Why did you leave?!" Ikuto demanded, his patience falling thin. The question had remained in his head for eleven years, and now was the one time he could finally ask it. It was no longer desire to know; it was a necessity to learn the answers of his father's departure. Aruto took a deep breath.

"For years prior to leaving, I had been working on a project. There were rumors to the effect that a company would stir up and utilize the power of hearts' eggs for their plans. During my research of this company that would eventually become Easter, I learned of the existence of charas. I presume you two possess charas?" Both children nodded. Yoru floated up with a mischievous grin, Il crossed her arms, and El smiled widely. "Years past, and I received an email alerting me to the validity of these rumors. This Easter Company was actually real. I was told to leave as soon as I could in an attempt to cease the development of Easter in Belgium. However, I wasn't just going to leave and abandon you and Souko. When I went to inform Souko of the news, I found your mother having an affair with Kaz…Kazuomi Hoshina. I had to leave then." Aruto sighed.

"Why couldn't we come?" Utau wondered. The curiosity in her voice reminded Aruto of that time she called out his name as he exited the door that last time. Aruto gulped, and sighed.

"It was dangerous. I couldn't risk taking you two along. I tried so hard to provide you two with a normal life, a life unlike the one Kai and I grew up in. I wanted my brother to care for you and protect you from the life we lived. It seems he ceased to keep his promise. That I can never regret more than I do."

"The truth is, my departure was beneficial," Aruto continued. "We supposedly did put an end to Easter, though with immense difficulty. Unfortunately, we did not know of the plans Easter was formulating as Kazuomi as the director. As much as I wanted to return to you, since it was only three years later, I could not. We learned of great power Easter sought that we needed to protect. There was this powerful switch that Easter sought, that was believed to bring light upon the Earth. We knew of the wish-granting egg, the Embryo, which Kazuomi infamously desired. We needed to guard the switch in an attempt to stop Easter from possessing it."

"What else do you know about the switch?" Utau wondered. She explained what Natsumi mentioned before she died.

"Not much," He admitted. "There is this prophecy that says when great power is unlocked, the switch will be activated. However, if the light refers to the end of the X-Energy, it could be worth looking into."

"So, you have always been looking to protect this switch, and it had been stopping you from coming home for eleven years?" Aruto nodded.

"I have always wanted to come back," He whispered solemnly. "I missed you two. I knew I would not be there to watch you grow up. I wanted to see you both graduate school, help you two decide on colleges, see you grow prosper and become successful. I understand if you do not forgive me. You grew up with a horrible man to call your step-father. I left you in oblivion for eleven years. I cannot expect such forgiveness." The two siblings turned to each other, reading the shock upon each other's expressions.

"We need to be alone," Ikuto whispered. Aruto nodded, and left the room, evidently leaving the house. There was a brief silence between the siblings.

"I don't even know what to think," Utau finally said.

"We've been wondering for so long, and now, we know… I don't know what I was expecting…" Ikuto exhaled deeply.

* * *

The next day, Kukai left extremely early in the morning to visit Yaya. Upon entering the room, he smiled at the girl laying on the bed. However, his smile prompted him to burst into tears for the umpteenth time that week.

"Yaya, oh god, how has it been a week without you? I miss you so freaking much," He whispered through sobs. "I miss your upbeat voice, and… just everything about you. You're the best sister I could ever ask for. I need you." He hugged her unconscious body, sitting on the edge of the hospital mattress.

"You know, Yaya, you are lucky you missed the funeral. It was so freaking depressing. Yukari was a great friend, and it hurt so much to see Utau, Kairi, and Yuu. Tsukasa was my principal. I thought he was so creepy, but he was really a good guy. I miss them both. I don't want to go to another funeral ever again." His vision blurred with tears. "Utau's voice was amazing. My god, she is so talented. I wish you could have seen her, though that does contradict my previous statement. Ugh, Yaya! I need you. I'm so freaking lost without you. I miss you so much; just come back to me…" The silence was what really got to Kukai.

"Why does death happen? It isn't fair! Yukari and Tsukasa were so innocent and didn't deserve it. I don't even know what I believe about an afterlife, but maybe it really is like a circle of life. Maybe it's true that people are reborn. I just… Why is death so confusing? Why does it happen?! Why does…"

"IT'S THE CIRCLE OF LIFE! AND IT MOVES US ALL! THROUGH DESPAIR AND HOPE, THROUGH FAITH AND LOVE!" The spontaneous shouting of lyrics from _The Lion King_ that was practically in his ear could not have put a wider grin on Kukai's face.

* * *

**I felt it quite appropriate to end with Disney lyrics, due to the fact I am going to Disney World on vacation. That cliffhanger is killing me to leave, and oh my god, I want to start writing and posting the next chapter, but unfortunately, I will have to wait nine long days. Oh well, Disney is fun. And I think it's a cruel cliffhanger, but at least it isn't a twist, and you know now that she's okay. Also, I hope you guys are pleased that I finally revealed why Aruto left! This was a depressing chapter, with one of my favorite endings. Okay, please review/favorite/alert! See you all soon!**


	16. Fluffy As Cotton Candy

**I'm home! Even though technically this was the last story I updated, I need to write this now, since I've been so excited. Here is the final stretch. I start school September ninth, and my main goal is to finish these last five chapters (epilogue **_**not**_** included in that). So, without further ado, I present you this chapter, and the happiest scene I have ever written in this story. After all, I just came back from the happiest place on earth, so how could I not write an upbeat section? Also, the name of the chapter was created on a whim, and really just for fun. I own nothing, and enjoy!**

* * *

For about the millionth time that week, Kukai burst into tears, but this was the first time they were a result of happiness. The iconic grin plastered upon his face could not be removed. Nothing in the entire world could have made Kukai happier then to see the auburn-colored pigtailed girl blinking up at him, puzzled.

"Um, Kukai? Why are you crying?" Her voice sounded surreal. She leaned up slightly, and poked his cheek. She wiped away some tears. "Tears are stupid!"

"Yaya… Holy shit…"

"YAYA'S A BABY!" Yaya exclaimed. "DON'T CURSE IN FRONT OF YAYA; KEEP IT PG!" Kukai burst out in laughter. A pink egg floated up, and suddenly hatched, revealing Pepe.

"What a long nap!" Pepe exclaimed, rubbing her eyes. Daichi hugged Pepe suddenly. Yaya looked at Kukai, watching him laugh and sob.

"Sorry Yaya… I… You're awake! I missed you so freaking, ah, I mean…I don't even know how to replace that. The point is, I missed you Yaya! Oh my god. I…" He wrapped his arms around his little sister, and embraced her tightly. Yaya rested her head on Kukai's shoulder, and returned the hug.

"Where are we?" Yaya wondered, looking around. Kukai let go of her, but sat down beside her, placing his arm around her. "White walls… Hm, this reminds Yaya of a hospital… Ew, hospitals!" Yaya looked down at her outfit. "Yup, definitely a hospital. Yaya hates the hospital gowns. Yaya remembers when Yaya had her appendix removed. That was scary!" She shuddered.

"I remember that," Kukai whispered. "You kept whining after the surgery for candy. Typical Yaya." Yaya laughed.

"Speaking of which, Kukai, YAYA WANTS CANDY!" Kukai pulled out a piece of chocolate, and handed it to her. Yaya's eyes sparkled, and ate it quickly, hugging him tightly. "Yaya knows she can always count on you!" He remembered what Yaya's parents said about him always being there for Yaya. Maybe he really was a great older brother-like figure. Kukai smiled warmly. He was in utter euphoria and disbelief that Yaya was awake. He could hardly believe it, yet the familiarity of the jumpiness beside him confirmed the truth of it.

"I brought it just in case," He explained, snapping back to reality. "I wasn't sure if you would wake up, but I wanted to make sure I could give it to you if you did…" Yaya's grin faded slightly.

"Wait… how long has Yaya been here? Did Yaya pull a Nagi-Tan and stay in the hospital for many months?! Has it been years?!"

"No, no, no!" Kukai exclaimed. "It's only been a little more than a week… Wow, it felt like so much longer, but it was only slightly longer than when Utau was out." She grinned again.

"Did you and Utau have anymore...woohoo moments?" Kukai's face turned crimson.

"No! Yaya!" He exclaimed, bewildered. She giggled at his reaction. "I've been taking care of you. Wait… _woohoo_ moments?" Yaya grinned.

"It's from the Sims!" Yaya pointed out. "Yaya used to play last summer, before all of this scary stuff happened. Yukari-Tan introduced Yaya to it, and Kairi-Kun used to claim how it was a stupid game." Kukai's eyes darkened. It dawned on him that she knew nothing of what happened to Yukari and Tsukasa. Seeing that smile evaporate for even a second pained Kukai. He did not want to be the one to tell her everything, but he knew it had to be him.

"Yaya…" Kukai started. Yaya turned to him, and her grin subsided, seeing Kukai's somber expression.

"The explosion," Yaya suddenly remembered. "Yaya remembers. It was so scary. All of a sudden, Yaya was running in, and then everything was collapsing around Yaya. Yaya couldn't breathe! I…um, Yaya could hear a voice, probably Kairi-Kun, calling her name, but Yaya couldn't breathe. I-It was horrible." She hugged him tightly again. "Rima-Tan! D-Did we fail?! Is she-"

"Shh, Rima's alright. You're alright now too," Kukai soothed, stroking her hair. He smiled, realizing that Yaya was going to be alright. His little Yaya was awake, and he was delighted. "You inhaled too much smoke," He explained. "Kairi saved you fortunately, but we weren't sure if it would be too late. The doctors didn't know if… But that doesn't matter now; you are okay, and that's what matters."

"Everyone else, are they alright?" Kukai grimaced. Yaya looked up at Kukai, seeing his unnerving expression. "Oh no…"

"Rima was in the hospital too briefly. After Amu and Ikuto saved her, she was shot in the shoulder by Gravatus. She lost some blood, but she's alive now, though traumatized. But Yukari…and Tsukasa…" Kukai's voice grew hoarse.

"What happened?!" Yaya's face was ghostly pale, evident that she knew the answer. As a reply, Kukai shook his head solemnly. "Oh no…"

"I know it isn't great to wake up to, but…"

"Not Yaya. Kairi-Kun. His big sissy." Tears formed in Yaya's eyes. "He must be broken. How…How could… Yaya looked up to Yukari. It's Kairi-Kun's sibling. How is it possible to lose the person that you looked up to? If I lost my older…no, no, no… Kukai, Yaya loves you so, so much!" Kukai hugged her again, and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm not going anywhere," He promised. "As long as you're here, so am I."

"Yaya will try not to fall into any comas again. Yaya didn't mean to worry Kukai."

"Yaya, it's not even close to being your fault. It's okay. You're okay. That's all that matters now. My little Yaya." Yaya smiled slightly.

"You all thought Yaya was going to…"

"We didn't know anything for certain," Kukai whispered.

"The others still think that Yaya isn't awake!" Yaya looked at Kukai. "You have to tell them. Not to be cocky or anything, but Yaya's sure that Kairi-Kun was extra upset about Yaya as well. Obviously, telling him won't take away the pain of his sister, but maybe he can be happy, just for a moment?" Kukai let go of Yaya, and nodded.

"It'll be my pleasure. I'll be back in a minute's time," He promised, kissing her head again. Yaya smiled.

"You better be back in less than that!" Kukai nodded, and jogged out of the hospital, grinning to himself.

* * *

Except for the few times Kukai nearly crashed into streetlamps due to the dark of night and the X-Energy at six in the morning, he finally arrived at Yukari's house. He knocked aggressively on the door, knowing that no one would be asleep. Nagihiko opened it, and before he could open his mouth, Kukai ran up the stairs, leaving Nagihiko to watch him puzzled. He ran into the first room he saw, Ikuto and Utau's room also sometimes shared with Nagihiko, waking the two siblings up.

"Where is Kairi?!" Kukai wondered, his voice exasperated. Sweat poured down his face, but he ignored it.

"Uh… I don't know… He might be in the basement?" Ikuto pointed out lazily, though he had not been asleep.

"Why?" Utau wondered, rubbing her eyes. Before Kukai could answer, he was gone and already jolting down the stairs. He ran to the basement, and jogged over to a startled Kairi. He was fully dressed, and sat in the middle of the basement.

"Kairi…There you are…geez, why are samurais illusive?" He panted, placing his hands on his knees.

"The proper pluralization of the term samurai would actually be samurai as well, but the vernacular seemed to have adopted samurais as a correct term, however…"

"Okay, whatever!" Kukai interjected exasperatedly. Kairi pushed up his glasses, but underneath, Kukai could make out bags underneath his eyes. He thought about what Yaya said. Of course, nothing could ever remove the pain of Yukari's death, but certainly, Yaya could help mend his heart slightly. He was certain that Kairi truly did love Yaya. "Sorry, but I have to tell you something important!"

"You seem to have sprinted from a distant place, thus resulting in your exasperation, since due to your athleticism, it would be a valid hypothesis that you possess a higher stamina than average. You seem quite desperate to tell me something specifically, and due to the inauspicious circumstances, I can only speculate one thing," Kairi deduced, a small but noticeable smile upon his face.

"Yes Sherlock Holmes; Yaya's awake, and she would like to see you," Kukai explained. Kairi nodded.

"Does she know…?"

"Yes," Kukai admitted. Kairi stood up. Kukai followed him, as they walked up the stairs together. At the top of the stairs, revealed Nagihiko, the Tsukiyomi siblings, and Lulu. A huge smile was apparent on Nagihiko's face, having clearly pieced everything together.

"How many guests is she up to having?" Nagihiko wondered.

"Don't worry Nagi; she wants to see everyone," Kukai reassured, patting his friend's head. "She wants some privacy with Kairi first. Though most certainly _not_ a woohoo." Everyone stared at Kukai in complete puzzlement. "Long story…"

"Ah, before you leave, could I say something quickly?" Kukai turned to the girl he had gone on one date with.

"Uh…sure! Kairi, run ahead of me." Kairi nodded, exiting the house and character changing with Musashi. Kukai looked at Lulu, still involuntarily grinning.

"I wanted to apologize for my actions. I was able to sense your despair and lost, and I pitied you, so I felt I wanted to help out. I know it sounds silly, but ever since Amu purified me, I can read the emotions of others. I was trying to help, but I was unaware of the dire mistake I had made by breaking an inseparable bond. Besides, I have my eyes on someone else now…" Lulu sighed dreamily. "Je espère que vous pouvez accepter mes excuses." She looked at both Utau and Kukai.

"…What? I kind of lost you…"

"She said that she hopes that you can accept her apology," Nagihiko translated. Kukai turned to Nagihiko, dumbfounded.

"How do you know French?" Kukai wondered.

"I've traveled many times for my dancing," Nagihiko explained. Kukai grinned, and hugged Utau suddenly, to her dismay.

"Well, Lulu, apology accepted! It wasn't really your fault anyway, and besides, who even knows how long ago that was!" He laughed happily. "Don't sweat it!"

"I can't believe I missed your upbeat self," Utau muttered. Kukai grinned, hugging her tighter. She sighed, but smiled softly. "I'll forgive you as well Lulu. It wasn't like it lasted particularly long, and honestly, everything is completely perfect now with Kukai and me, so I don't really care. Besides, I have more important people to hold grudges against…"

* * *

Kairi nearly forgot what beauty the world contained, as he jumped from tree to tree to the hospital. Although the darkness covered up much of the world, there were still some beauties contained, such as the lushness of forests. Though not as green and lively as before, they were still beautiful in their own merit. However, he was not about to become mesmerized by the plant life; it was Yaya who he wanted to see.

Finally, he arrived at the hospital, and made his way to Yaya's room. He peered in, to his utter dismay, seeing Yaya sitting up on her bed and chatting with Pepe. He smiled, for the first time in a week. He could not quite believe her consciousness. He thought that she would not make it for sure. He had prepared himself for the pain of losing another. Kairi was seldom surprised in life, but Yaya's awakening sure was one of the few pleasant surprises he had endured. His sister's death was a horrible surprise.

"No matter how difficult I try, I cannot truly fathom my emotions at this moment," He started, walking in slowly. Yaya looked up at him, and grinned.

"Kai-Kai!" Yaya exclaimed, beginning to stand up.

"Yaya-Chan, I do not believe it is wise to move from your bed. You have only just woken up, and you do not want to tempt any potential risks," Kairi warned, ignoring her usage of the nickname he despised. Despite his warning, a solemn smile managed to remain on his face. Yaya pouted.

"Yaya doesn't want to be confined to the bed!" Yaya whined, waving her arms around. "Yaya wants to go out and get candies!"

"You will soon," Kairi promised, stepping closer to her. It still dismayed him to see her eyes open and her iconic personality. However, he was delighted to know that she was okay. Yaya's excitement suddenly bubbled down.

"Kairi-Kun," Yaya whispered, reaching up to touch his face. "Yaya doesn't really know what to say. Yaya's sorry…" Kairi pushed up his glasses.

"Nothing needs to be said," He whispered, placing his hand over hers. "I do not wish to discuss those matters at the moment, but I do appreciate your concern." Yaya smiled softly, as Kairi leaned down to gently kiss her. Yaya returned it, wrapped her arms around him, and pulling him closer. Kairi was slightly startled, but he didn't hesitate.

Finally they broke apart, with Yaya grinning and Kairi's face scarlet. She laughed at his flustered expression.

"You look so cute when you blush," Yaya pointed out. Kairi blushed even redder involuntarily, and pushed up his glasses.

"On the contrary, you look alluring at every moment."

"Aw, you're such a charmer Kairi-Kun!"

"I missed you immensely Yaya-Chan…" Kairi whispered. "I do not even know what I would have done without you too. You mean so much to me, more than you can ever imagine."

"Well, Yaya has no intentions of leaving again! No more comas!" Yaya grinned. "And say Kairi-Kun? Maybe Yaya can imagine. Love and all that scary stuff is too mature for Yaya to understand completely, but maybe Yaya gets it, even just a little. Yaya always thought falling in love was only an adult thing, and it was scary, but ever since Kukai started dating Utau-Chi, and Nagi-Tan and Rima-Tan, Yaya thinks that maybe she too can get it. And when Kukai told Yaya about everything, the only thought Yaya could possess was about you. So, Yaya doesn't really fathom, or whatever fancy word you uses, love, but Yaya feels extra warm and fuzzy around you. So, Yaya's just going to say it." Yaya smiled. "Yaya…ah, screw this! I love you Kairi." It was impossible for a person to become as red as Kairi was at that moment.

"I-I… I love you too Yaya-Chan," Kairi whispered, slipping his hand through hers. "Love is quite incomprehensible. In the past, I used to examine the romantic behaviors between Yukari and Yuu, and the looks of adoration they exchanged. I never could quite truly understand the emotion between them, but I do finally believe I have received some clarity upon this emotion." Yaya leaned up to him in an attempt to kiss him. Their lips met, and they kissed, until the door swung open. They immediately separated, both blushing now.

"Yaya!" A purple-haired boy exclaimed, running over. "I apologize for my inconvenient timing, but I couldn't wait." Kairi nodded in understanding, backing up. Yaya hugged Nagihiko.

"Nagi-Tan!" Yaya grinned. She looked at the others who stood at the doorway. Amu and Tadase stood beside each other, smiling at Yaya. Yaya raised an eyebrow at them for a moment.

"They aren't back together," A petite figure pointed out, noticing Yaya's wandering eyes. "Amu's committed with Ikuto." Amu and Tadase looked surprised. Rima stood in front of Amu and Tadase, and even had a seldom smile of her own. Kukai stood near everyone else as well. Yaya let go of Nagihiko, and smiled at all of her friends, the ex-guardians. She was still holding Kairi's hand.

"Rima-Tan! You're okay!"

"I can say the same about you." Yaya grinned, sticking her thumb up.

"Yaya's as good as new! Yaya's pumped and ready for what comes next, which Yaya _really_ hopes is leaving this hospital."

"Fortunately, we spoke to the doctor, and she said that you're able to leave now that you are okay," Kukai explained.

"HIP-HIP-HOORAY!" Yaya applauded.

"I missed your optimism so much. And now you even managed to make Kukai smile too. The two of you are the best pair of friends." Yaya grinned.

"Well, obviously! Kukai's the best big brother Yaya can ask for." Kukai grinned sheepishly. She soon became aware of the melancholy in Kairi's eyes. She decided to quickly change the topic to the first thing that she thought of. "Now that Yaya's leaving, Yaya needs candy! Anyone who offers to buy Yaya candy is Yaya's favorite person. Although Nagi-Tan got Yaya candy before this, so Nagi really wins!" Nagihiko beamed.

"You're going to be annoying again, aren't you?" Rima wondered.

"Yaya will be doubly annoying!" Yaya promised. A smile crossed Rima's face.

"Good. I missed your annoyingness, though I'm sure I'll take that back soon. Nagi is beginning to become worthy of being called annoying again." Yaya beamed at Rima.

"What?!" Nagihiko exclaimed. Rima giggled.

"It's been too long since I've called you a cross-dresser or an idiot, or really any type of insult. I missed you for five months, but now that I'm used to you again, the insults will begin soon, don't worry." Nagihiko deadpanned.

"I'm so excited," He muttered sarcastically. Rima smiled, and walked beside him, kissing his cheek with much effort to actually reach him. Yaya laughed at her struggle.

"Well, Yaya's done at this stupid hospital! Let's go back to Yukari's place…err…"

"It is still her place no matter what," Kairi explained. "It always will be." He helped her to her feet. Yaya intertwined her fingers with his, and grinned.

* * *

A knock on the front door made Ikuto glance up. He put away the violin he had been gingerly holding, and went to open the door. He assumed that Yaya and the others would be returning. Although he found her a nuisance, he did appreciate that she was awake. If she had not made it, the amount it would hurt could not be processed. She represented the only light that could be shined through the immense darkness. If she was lost, Kukai would be unable to be bright, and every ounce of hope that anyone had would be lost. He walked up to the front door, and turned the doorknob. To his utter dismay, it was not Yaya, Amu, or any of the guardians that stood in front of him. A woman with many similar features to him stood there, looking at him with utter bemusement. Ikuto hardly noticed the fact Kazuomi Hoshina stood beside her. His eyes were widened, fixated on this woman he had not had association with in a while.

"Mother…"

* * *

**Originally, the entire Souko and Ikuto and Utau scene was going to be this chapter, but I decided to add more emotion and description to the Yaya scenes. I cannot describe how happy I was writing the Yaya scenes, specifically the Yairi part. I have been in the mood to write Yairi for some time. Conveniently, the song A Heart Full Of Love from Les Mis happened to come on my iTunes shuffle during that part, so it added to it. Besides, for some strange reason, I see Kairi as Marius... I also adored writing the Kukai and Yaya part. Well, please review! I promise, the next chapter will be **_**much**_** sooner than this one! No more vacations. **


	17. Souko and Kazuomi

**I have surpassed 100 reviews for this story, and with a combination with X-Virus, it's over 200! You do not know how happy that makes me! Thank you all so much! You guys are seriously the best fans ever. Whenever I get reviews, I get so happy with all of your kind compliments and comments. :'). We have only a few more chapters to go, so keep it up! You guys are the best! Remember how this story started? It was slightly innocent, beginning with Amu randomly starting Middle School with Nagi and Rima. This story sure escalated… Aside from corniness, there is an important story that needs to be updated. I own absolutely nothing, and I hope you continue to enjoy!**

* * *

Surprises were something Ikuto utterly loathed at this point. Almost every surprise that appeared at his door, or anywhere, never meant good news. Upon seeing his mother, he had no idea what to think. She had cheated on Aruto all those years ago and even abandoned Ikuto and Utau, but perhaps she changed. She did care about them, even if she was now married to Kazuomi, the old director of Easter. Her husband who stood beside her, looked completely stoic. No matter what situation happened, he could never forgive Kazuomi. It went beyond the fact he ruined his parents' relationship. Ikuto shuddered, upon thinking about Death Rebel. In that form, he had no conscience of his own. He was willing to harm Amu. It only got worse when he got the X-Virus. Kazuomi voluntarily gave up Easter to Gravatus, the man who had no mercy.

"It's been a while," Souko whispered, a slight waver in her voice. Ikuto didn't know how to reply, so he merely nodded.

"Who's there?" Utau wondered.

"Utau? Is that you?" Utau's face paled upon hearing the voice. She stepped beside her brother, studying the two figures in front of her.

"Get out," She hissed to the man. Kazuomi's eyes directed to her.

"I do not believe that will be the case. We didn't come to see you anyway; we came for your father." So, they knew he was back.

"Well, here I am." To their surprise, Aruto stood behind Souko and Kazuomi, his arms crossed. Souko watched her ex-husband in bewilderment. Without seeking permission, the three older figures entered the house. Utau crossed her arms, watching the three of them sit on the couch.

"Aruto… I…" Souko started.

"What do you want?" Aruto wondered, much more contempt in his voice. Souko glanced at the ground.

"It's been some time," She whispered.

"We have more important things to discuss," Kazuomi interrupted. Ikuto and Utau sat down on an adjacent couch, exchanging glances.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Utau demanded, glancing at her mother and step-father. Souko's eyes were glued to the ground, seemingly expressing guilt.

"We were in Hawaii..." She weakly replied.

"Hawaii?!" Utau exclaimed, dumbfounded.

"Why the hell were you in Hawaii?!" Ikuto wondered.

"Gravatus informed me of his plans for Easter. We did not want to meddle with anything or get involved, so we fled to Hawaii," Kazuomi explained. "It was truly a safe haven."

"So, while you allowed your stepson to be injected with this deadly disease, you had the audacity to flee to a tropical island?!" Utau exclaimed. She turned to face Souko. "He is your son! You _abandoned_ him, and left him to die! What would you do if Amu couldn't save him?! Would you have lived with yourself?!" Souko's eyes darkened, and even a few tears escaped her eyes.

"Utau…" Ikuto placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You're practically as bad as Gravatus. Unfortunately, it's quite impossible to get worse than him." Aruto let out a sigh.

"You've changed Utau… You're different than the little girl I remember," Souko whispered. "When did you get so…feisty?"

"Maybe I could have been a 'sweet little girl' if my _parents_ had not abandoned me," Utau grumbled.

"She's right," Ikuto muttered. There was silence for a few minutes.

"I'll be right back," Kazuomi muttered, going upstairs to the bathroom. Souko looked up finally, and glanced over at Aruto. Her face was tear-stricken.

"I'm sorry Aruto," She whispered. "I…I always did love you. Kazuomi…he just… I loved him too."

"Hey Ikuto, doesn't this sound a bit familiar?" Utau muttered. Ikuto shot Utau a glare. Both parents ignored them.

"She only loves me now," Ikuto pointed out smugly.

"Why couldn't you tell me that?" Aruto wondered, his voice wavering. "I loved you Souko. If you loved Kaz too, why couldn't you just tell me?! We could have talked this out, made it better…"

"How could you tell your husband that you love another man? You know it wouldn't have worked."

"We weren't meant to work out," Aruto muttered. "Because of Kazuomi, our relationship was bound to fail." Souko sighed deeply.

"Was I… the reason you left?" Aruto shook his head.

"I had other reasons to leave, involving Easter," He explained. "I trusted that my brother would care for our children. He didn't come through, but I expected more of you too Souko; why weren't you there for them?"

"I… I did love them," Souko whispered. "I just… When you left, I… I didn't know… Kazuomi helped me take care of them. He helped them."

"Sure, because selling his company to a sadistic bastard that would nearly kill me _certainly_ helped us," Ikuto muttered sarcastically. Souko sighed.

"Ikuto… I didn't know what they were going to do to you," Souko whispered. "If I knew…"

"You're a coward," Utau muttered, her arms crossed. "How could we possibly be related to you? You're too scared to face reality, so you run off with the love of your life to Hawaii? You married Kazuomi, because you couldn't deal with raising us alone or being without Father? I'm disgusted with you."

"Don't call your mother that," Kazuomi scolded, returning to them. Utau merely scoffed.

"Perhaps she gave birth to me, but I refuse to call her my mother. Aren't mothers supposed to be there for their children? Besides, I don't take orders from you." The door opened in front of them revealing the guardians from the hospital. However, they were blatantly ignored.

"Kazuomi…" Amu whispered, her eyes widened. "What is he-"

"Ah, so you're Amu Hinamori, the savior?" Kazuomi taunted. "Seems you did a great job extinguishing the darkness."

"I wouldn't tease her, if I were you," Nagihiko defended, his arms crossed. "She has purified almost every X-Egg you sent after us, and stopped your ultimate plan with Ikuto as Death Rebel. With whatever this switch entails, Amu-Chan can save us again." Amu beamed at her best friend. Kazuomi's eyes widened.

"The switch…" He whispered. "You know about it?!"

"What do you know?!" Ikuto demanded. Yaya, Kairi, and Rima went upstairs, avoiding the situation. Tadase, Kukai, Nagihiko, and Amu stayed put. Kazuomi ignored Ikuto's inquiry, continuing to study Nagihiko. His arms remained crossed, though he appeared slightly uncomfortable.

"I see the semblance vaguely; you're Gravatus's son," Kazuomi realized.

"Nagi's so much more than just that bastard's son; he's the smartest, most awesome guy and…" Nagihiko raised an eyebrow at Kukai, who merely grinned, still overjoyed from Yaya's awakening.

"He's also the main reason the world is like this," Kazuomi pointed out.

"What about the switch?!" Utau interjected. "What do you know?!"

"It is said to bring light upon the world," Kazuomi explained, repeating what Aruto previously told them. "It is activated by one with great power. From what I gather, Gravatus has possession of this switch, and is guarding it."

"Do you know anything about this sheet?" Amu pulled out the untainted piece of paper from her bag. It now was creased, but still remained clean. "I discovered it at the Easter Headquarters right before it completely exploded." Kazuomi studied the sheet of paper, taking it from Amu.

"Amu, don't trust him," Utau warned.

"It's okay Utau," Ikuto pointed out. "He's no threat; he's merely a coward." Kazuomi ignored Ikuto's pleasant choice of words.

"It's in Latin, I believe," Kazuomi explained. "I don't know Latin, but I'm sure you'll be able to translate it." Amu and Nagihiko exchanged glances. She took back the paper, and led Nagihiko into a room with a computer in an attempt to translate.

"Kaz… We should get going; the flight leaves soon," Souko urged, getting up. All eyes turned to her.

"Flight?" Ikuto inquired.

"We're going back to Hawaii," Kazuomi explained. "I know I haven't been great all these years, but when I say good luck with the switch, I mean it. I regret many things over the years, but I truly regret selling my company to that wretched man."

"That's nice you regret that more than harming your stepchildren," Tadase murmured under his breath. Utau smirked at Tadase. Kazuomi stood up, and walked over to the door. Souko looked at Aruto for a moment.

"I should have never cheated on you," She whispered, embracing him quickly. Aruto was too stunned to possibly react. She let go quickly, and left the house, without another word. Once the door slammed behind them, Utau let out a sigh.

"Wow, thanks for the goodbye Mother," Utau muttered sarcastically. "Geez. Does anyone actually have good parents?" Aruto lowered his eyes.

"Actually, I like my parents…" Tadase muttered.

"How are they? Have you spoken with them anymore?" Ikuto wondered.

"It's difficult to see them since it's dangerous outside, but I do plan on seeing them soon," Tadase explained, smiling. "I can't thank you two enough for what you did for me. I'm happy everything is patched up between us."

"I was rude to you as well," Ikuto admitted. "I'm willing to count you as a little sibling again, as long as you don't make moves on Amu anymore." Tadase's eyes widened.

"She's just a friend now," Tadase clarified. "Besides, I think there's a girl I kind of like. I mean, I don't know her super well, but she's really sweet and saved me…"

"Hold on, when Lulu apologized to us yesterday, she said she liked someone. Is this a coincidence?" Kukai elbowed Tadase, who turned bright red.

"I-I… shut up!" Tadase muttered. Kukai laughed, wrapping his arm around Tadase's shoulders.

"Guys! I think we found some answers!" Nagihiko called. The others gathered around Amu and Nagihiko.

"Not everything makes entirely sense, since we used Google Translate, but we have the general gist of what it says," Amu explained.

"Like what Aruto and Kazuomi explained, great power is required, likely from Amu-Chan. Basically, it has instructions on how to use it. The one with great power has to pull this switch all the way down, and then powerful light will be emitted from it," Nagihiko explained. "It's located underground, near where the Easter Headquarters was."

"So, do we just go in and pull the switch?" Kukai wondered.

"We have to go when Gravatus least expects it," Tadase realized. "Are we all ready for this? I mean, this could be a huge risk. Last time we went over to Easter, we lost two people, and nearly lost two others."

"Yaya isn't going," Kukai muttered. "I'm not risking that again, and she isn't entirely recovered."

"We can decide who goes and who doesn't at a later date," Nagihiko pointed out. "However, Rima isn't fully recovered either, and I know she is traumatized by everything."

"We have to go." Everyone turned, nearly forgetting Aruto was still there. "This is the only chance we're going to get to undo everything. It's certainly a risk, and you learned last time that you do have stuff to lose, but we can't back down."

"Then, let's go for it!" Amu called confidently. "We'll plan everything tomorrow morning."

"Kissing up to your future father-in-law, eh?" Kukai elbowed Amu playfully. Ikuto chuckled lightly. Amu turned bright red, and shot Kukai a glare.

"Well, he's your future father-in-law too," Amu pointed out. Kukai grinned happily, hugging Utau suddenly.

"Everyone, get some rest," Aruto suggested, ignoring Amu and Kukai's banter. "We're going to need it. I'll be back in the morning." He turned to leave the house.

* * *

That night, after explaining everything to the others, Amu sat downstairs, contemplating everything.

"Why is it always me?" Amu muttered, watching her four charas float up.

"Don't second-guess yourself Amu! You stopped the X-Virus, so you can just as easily do this!" Ran pointed out, grinning.

"But, I just don't know… I'm nothing special really. I'm just some whiny girl."

"Amu, you're beyond special." Amu turned, facing her boyfriend. Ikuto walked over to her, sitting beside her. "I have not a doubt in my mind that you can accomplish this. That's not what I'm concerned about." Amu rested her head on Ikuto's shoulder.

"What are you concerned about then?" She asked.

"Many things. However, I'm really concerned about my sister." Amu turned to him, puzzled.

"Utau? She's extremely strong though!" Amu pointed out. "You know she can handle herself. She's one of the strongest people I know."

"Today, when Kazuomi and Souko came over, Utau got extremely angry. I mean, I understood and felt the same emotions. She was completely right in everything she said, but she got really…passionate. I'm just concerned she might say something recklessly, and get herself hurt. Gravatus, he has a gun and is not afraid to utilize it. He already shot her once. I don't want to lose my sister…"

"Ikuto, you won't," Amu promised, running her fingers through his hair. "She can be reckless, but you'll look after her. Kukai will too. We all will. Don't worry. We can't afford to worry and contemplate every scenario."

"Yeah… I guess…" Ikuto sighed. "You should rest Amu."

"I'm only resting if you rest too," Amu declared. Ikuto smirked slightly, leaning closer to her. Amu gulped, her cheeks reddening.

"I miss your comfortable bed and sharing it with you." He wrapped his arms around her. Amu sighed, relaxing herself.

"Well, I don't think there are any available beds, but this couch is seeming awfully comfortable." Amu leaned on Ikuto, and they both went into a resting position. Ikuto kissed the top of her head.

"Night Amu."

"Good night Ikuto."

* * *

**I know this chapter wasn't as good. I wasn't feeling as inspired as I have been for other chapters, so I know it was weaker. Plus, this chapter is much shorter than all of the others. However, I've come to the realization that people write much shorter chapters than me normally. I always see stories with like 500 words per chapter. What is exactly the average chapter length for a story? I plan on having this next one updated quickly, since I'm excited about it. All I'm saying about it, is that it's going to be Nagihiko-centered. And just to drop even more hints, there is something I often forget about, but I promise, I have not forgotten in this story. Also, Amuto fans, I've been neglecting you, so I hope you enjoyed that short scene. More Amuto to come! Anyhow, please review! **


	18. Child's Play

**I'm having a really short Author's Note, since I want to get started with the chapter. I own nothing, and enjoy a chapter I really think was one of, if not, my best chapters thus far.**

* * *

"_Come and save us." _

Nagihiko sat up suddenly, sweat profusely pouring down his body. He glanced over at his clock, seeing it read nine. That was the latest he had slept in some time. He thought back to the dream he had. He could only hear two voices in unison say those four words. He would have merely regarded the dreams as odd if he had not recognized the speakers of those words. There was more to his dream, but he had no recollection of the rest.

"Temari…Rhythm?" Nagihiko inquired quietly, standing up. The person who shared the same room as him, Utau, slept soundly, oblivious to his movements. He opened the door quietly, and noticed someone in the shower. He sighed, and went downstairs, to brush his teeth and wash his face. He was still alarmed by his dream. Could it have possibly been his charas? Currently, they were X-Eggs in Gravatus's possession. How could they have reached him in his dream?

"Good morning Nagi!" He turned, facing his pink-haired friend. She was drinking tea, smiling to herself. It surprised him how cheerful she was, despite everyone's plans for later. Who knew what would possibly happen later? He envied her bliss.

"Hey," He greeted, forcing a smile. He sat down beside her. "How did you sleep?"

"Surprisingly well. Ikuto was beside me, but I don't think that contributed to my improved sleep. When I woke up, he was already gone." No wonder Amu was so cheerful. Nagihiko chuckled to himself.

"Yeah, I slept much later myself," Nagihiko told her. "Well, until I had this dream." Amu looked at him curiously. "I heard a voice, two voices, say come and save us. The voices… They were Temari and Rhythm's."

"Do you think they're somehow contacting you?" Amu wondered.

"Perhaps. I was thinking something along the same lines," Nagihiko agreed. "But… where would they be? I would have immediately suggested Easter, but that place is currently in ruins…"

"Are your charas somehow connected with the switch? Maybe they're in the same underground location?" Amu suggested. Nagihiko pondered for a moment.

"The switch brings light…Ugh!" Amu looked at Nagihiko, as he gripped his head.

"Nagi!" Amu cried.

"I…I think I have an idea where they are!" Nagihiko smiled slightly, his sudden headache disappearing.

"W-what just happened?!"

"I had some sort of vision…" He explained. "Somehow, my charas managed to transmit some sort of message to my mind. It's near the playground."

"What playground?" Amu wondered.

"I know where it is." He stood up. "I went there after I woke up from my coma with Rima. Let's go."

"Oh yeah, when we were suspicious about Ikuto and Utau… Wait Nagi; since when are you one to be so hasty! Shouldn't we wait for the others?" Nagihiko turned to face Amu, and let out a sigh.

"Let everyone rest until we have to activate the switch. We'll need everyone fully rested. Besides… I want to do this with just you." Amu cocked her head to the side. Nagihiko smiled slightly. "You've always been my best friend Amu-Chan. I can always count on you. You saved me numerous times; you saved me when I was in the Berserk Phase. My charas are extremely important to me. I need you again, to help purify them."

"Nagi…" Amu hugged her friend. He smiled, and hugged her back. "You've been there many more times for me. Seriously, I've vented to you all of my problems. You were the first friend I truly made when I moved her, and by far, the one I trust most, even if you have lied in the past." Nagihiko scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed. "Besides, you're the only guy who hasn't had a crush on me in our friend group, even if Kukai and Kairi only liked me briefly." He chuckled.

"Well, fortunately for you, only one likes you. Tadase's interested in Yamamoto-San."

"That's true! I love Ikuto so much, so I'm glad that's simple, if one thing can be simple." Nagihiko smiled.

"Well, let's get going! I'm quite eager to find my charas." Amu nodded, following Nagihiko out of the house.

* * *

Nagihiko smile brightly, upon passing the playground. He distinctively remembered the awkwardness between him and Rima, and how they almost kissed before being interrupted. To their convenience, they noticed two X-Eggs floating over a sand pit.

"I can sense the X-Eggs!" Miki exclaimed. "It's definitely Temari and Rhythm!" Nagihiko smiled.

"We can't just rush in. It can't just be so simple. There's something more to this…" He pondered for a moment. "Could it be a trap Gravatus is expecting us to fall into?"

"He had that trap for us when he kidnapped Rima," Amu pointed out. "Do you think it's another…" Suddenly, something floated up from Amu's pocket. "Eh?! The Humpty Lock?" It was glowing a bright color. Both of them watched, amazed. Suddenly, the Dumpty Key floated over from out of nowhere, meeting the lock perfectly.

"How did that come over?" Nagihiko wondered.

"It must have somehow sensed the power from the Humpty Lock somehow. They're attracted…" When the key undid the lock, a bright white light was emitted. Nagihiko cringed, his eyes having difficulty adjusting to the brightness. Amu watched, as her four charas floated up in front of her.

"It's been some time, hasn't it?" Ran pointed out.

"Yeah… Not since Death Rebel…" Amu noted. Her four charas returned into their eggs, and surrounded Amu, spinning around her. A grin crossed across her face. "My own heart, unlock!" All four eggs entered her body, as she commenced with her ultimate transformation. Finally, it ended, and the bright light vanished. Nagihiko watched, as Amu stood in front of him, with a long white gown and resembled that of a princess or a bride.

"You know, a transformation like this makes it quite obvious why four guys liked you," Nagihiko teased. Amu flushed slightly.

"Well, don't go repeating that to Rima; she might not be pleased." Nagihiko chuckled lightly.

"Amu-Chan, my charas… It's worth a shot. In that form, I find it difficult for Gravatus to stop you." Amu smiled, and began to purify Nagihiko's charas.

"Negative heart, lock on! Open heart!" Tremendous power exerted from Amu's hands. The light hit the X-Eggs, turning them into their normal purple and blue color. Nagihiko watched, amazed, as the two eggs immediately began hatching.

"Nagi! It's been so long!" Temari exclaimed, floating over to him. He was absolutely shocked and pleased. "My god, we were X-Eggs, and it was horrible…"

"Nagi! It's been terrible!" Rhythm whined.

"Temari… Rhythm… I can't believe you two are actually here…" His two charas beamed at him. "I-I've needed you two so much. Fading into the Berserk Phase was so difficult, and then when I woke up after my coma, I was so confused, and…" He could feel tears cascading down his cheeks, but he ignored them. "It's been so horrible. My mother… Baaya left, and I'm the heir now, and everything with Gravatus, and Rima and Yaya-"

"Nagi, relax man," Rhythm reassured, landing on his head. "We know everything that happened. We weren't ourselves, but we still know."

"We're always here for you Nagi," Temari promised. "Even if we aren't physically there, we always will be there for you."

"Come on, let's join Amu-Chan!"

"Huh?" Before Nagihiko could protest, both Temari and Rhythm went into their eggs, and went inside of Nagihiko. His transformation progressed as normal, and he landed beside Amu once he was completed. Amu beamed at him. His long violet hair was fully down, as he normally had it. He wore an outfit which resembled a suit, except that it was flexible enough to be used for athletics.

"Wow… Rima is totally going to swoon over you." Nagihiko cheeks were plastered red.

"A-Amu-Chan!" He exclaimed. She laughed, shoving him playfully.

"Have you come to find the switch?" The presence of a large bulky man that vaguely resembled Nagihiko immediately made any euphoria that Nagihiko had from getting his charas back vanish. To say he detested Gravatus would be a vast understatement. At that moment, his hatred for him was more than he could possibly fathom. He had nearly killed Yaya and Rima; a girl Nagihiko regarded as his little sister and his girlfriend. Not only that, but he _did_ murder Nagihiko's mother; his ex-wife.

"Gravatus," Amu sneered angrily, feeling similar emotions to Nagihiko. His iconic smirk crossed his face.

"You're not going to reach it. You do not possess enough information." Gravatus pulled out a gun from his pocket. Amu and Nagihiko hesitated, the mere sight of the gun frightening them. Before Gravatus could contemplate pulling the trigger, he was suddenly pushed down by a midnight blue-haired teenager.

"Ikuto!" Amu exclaimed, relieved. The others walked over to them as well. "How did you guys find us?" Gravatus shoved Ikuto off of him. Sighing, he made his way beside Amu.

"Ikuto-NiiSan's Dumpty Key started floating away," Tadase explained. "We figured it must have been connected to everything. Why did you guys leave?"

"I had this peculiar dream relating to my charas, so I figured out how to find them, and took Amu-Chan with me," Nagihiko explained. "It was going to be quick, so we figured it was pointless to bring everyone along…"

"Is that a transformation with both of them?" Rima wondered. Nagihiko looked at her, and nodded.

"What are you doing here? Your shoulder is still in pain! This could be dangerous, and I don't want-"

"Did you seriously think I would simply stay back?" She smiled. "Kukai tried to force Yaya and me to stay with Yuu and Ava, but we refused. We're all in this together." Utau covered Yaya and Yua's mouths from bursting out into the song from _High School Musical_. Suddenly, the Humpty Lock and Dumpty Key floated up again. Utau started transforming as well, with both of her charas like Nagihiko. Her outfit was a combination of a devil and an angel, similar to one of those Halloween costumes kids wore that was half angel, half devil. She held a devil's trident that was a brighter color.

"Why are they so cool?" Yaya whined, pouting.

"It is due majorly to the fact that Nagihiko-San, Hinamori-San, and Tsukiyomi-San all have more than one chara," Kairi explained. "It would be futile for any of us to have another transformation, considering everyone else only possesses one chara."

"Kai…" Everyone turned, facing Ikuto and Utau's father. He wore his sailing attire, and held two long katana. Kairi studied them, seemingly intrigued.

"I was hoping you would show up," Gravatus sneered. "This fight would not be the same without you." Aruto grimaced.

"I remember the days we never fought. You were my little brother. It never needed to come to this. There is no going back now." Aruto tossed Kai one of the katana. Gravatus accepted it, putting his gun away.

"Is he stupid? Why would he give him a sword?!" Rima wondered.

"It is a sign of respect," Kairi explained. "Historically, two samurai are meant to duel with equal weapons, and have no further advantage on each side."

"Well, this isn't Feudal Japan; giving some merciless guy a sword is stupid," Rima muttered. No one bothered to argue with her.

The Gravatus brothers faced each other, both gripping their katana with both hands. They circled each other, hesitating to make the first strike. Losing patience, Gravatus swung his sword at Aruto. He parried Gravatus's attack, blocking him from further striking.

"Perhaps you haven't changed completely my brother; you never were quite the patient one." Gravatus tensed, attempted to jab his sword underneath Aruto's. Aruto retaliated quickly, swinging his sword into Gravatus's. They continued brushing their blades against each other. Aruto glanced over at his two children, nodding to them.

"The switch," Ikuto whispered to the others. They all nodded, looking around for it. All they knew was that it was somewhere underground.

"It is futile to search for the switch," Gravatus taunted, without averting his eyes from Aruto. "It is well concealed."

"You've improved from your days in Fencing," Aruto noted.

"I'm not the same child as I was Aruto," Gravatus pointed out. "I've been training. Perhaps I'll even beat you this time, for once in my life." Aruto scoffed.

"Foolish brother. What do you have to fight for?" Gravatus did not reply, simply swinging his katana roughly into Aruto's. "I have a lot to fight for; my children, my crew, perhaps even Souko and Kazuomi, though I am not quite fond of them either."

"Souko and Kaz? Huh, the two of them were always great. You were always so oblivious to their affair. They were clearly hooking up. You just didn't want to see it."

"Shut up!" Aruto growled, swinging harder. "At least I didn't impregnate a random woman." Nagihiko's eyes darkened.

"Maybe I could have lived a normal life, if you actually helped me!" Gravatus yelled. "I could have had a normal family, if you offered your help."

"It wasn't my place to help you. If you were truly a man, you could have sort out your own problems!" Gravatus swung his sword over his head, but Aruto reacted swiftly, and stabbed Gravatus in the stomach. He bellowed loudly, blood searing out. Aruto pulled out his katana, further causing pain to Gravatus. He dropped his katana, and sank to his knees. Aruto watched, as his brother cried out in pain. Utau and Ikuto attempted to stifle their smiles, but they were vastly unsuccessful.

"Shall I end this quickly, or watch you suffer?" Aruto wondered, holding his sword.

"Aruto… my brother… please…" Gravatus's eyes were desperate. "Help me…" Aruto watched, conflicted. If he simply killed him on spot, he would be as horrible as him. He already stabbed him, and caused the pain; could he truly end his brother's life? Memories flashed through Aruto's mind; that petty prank he played on Gravatus by pulling down his pants, Gravatus's appearance at his wedding, Christmas dinner, even when they were simply kids growing up.

* * *

_"Aruto-Nii!" Kai called. "Come and play basketball with me!" Aruto sighed. He truly didn't want to, but Kai adored playing, and Aruto couldn't say no to him. He put down his violin he had been practicing, and walked over to his brother. Kai laughed, and threw a basketball at the hoop. Aruto blocked the ball, watching nine-year-old Kai's face fall. _

_ "You can't just recklessly throw," Aruto instructed. "You need to aim, like this!" Aruto stood at a distance nearby the hoop, and aimed, throwing it perfectly into the hoop. Kai pouted._

_ "I want to try!" Kai cried, stealing the ball from his eleven-year-old brother, and tossing it. It missed completely, landing feet away. "Why can't I do it like Big Brother? It's not fair!" _

_ "Kai, you need to bend down. It's your legs that control the ball, not the arms. All you do with your hands is fling upward. Your legs need to bend accurately. See?" Kai watched grumpily, as Aruto flew the ball impeccably through the hoop. _

_ "You're always good at everything!" Kai whined. _

_ "You'll be as good as me, heck, one day, you'll even be better than me." Kai sighed. Aruto placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder. "Something the matter?"_

_ "Can we just take off one day?" Aruto looked at Kai surprised. "I mean, it's not like Mother or Father would really care. They don't care about us. So, can we just run away?"_

_ "We would get lost in life, Kai," Aruto pointed out. "We're only children. We don't know how to survive in the world. Besides, we wouldn't have enough money to survive. Even if they do mistreat us, we don't really have a choice."_

_ "But being poor would still be better!" Kai whined. "I just want to be away from here, with my big brother!" Aruto ruffled Kai's hair. _

_ "We can't leave yet, but I'll still be here," Aruto promised. "That's what big brothers are for, right?" Kai nodded eagerly. "I'm never going to leave you. One day, we will both graduate high school, and we can go as far as our hearts desire. It isn't too long of a wait. I promise, little brother, I'll always be here for you. Wherever I go, you go, and vice versa, right?" _

_ "Pinky promise?" Kai lifted his pinky. Aruto scoffed slightly at the childish behavior, but the truth was, he was a child too. _

_ "Pinky promise." He slid his pinky through Kai's._

* * *

Aruto could feel his eyes watering. This was his little brother who he had sworn to protect and never leave. Even with all of the sadistic behaviors Kai had and the blood that stained his clothing, he was still that nine-year-old boy to Aruto. Besides, a promise was a promise. A pinky promise bounded him to always be there for Kai. He could not murder his little brother. He loved him, despite his vast imperfections.

His grip upon the katana suddenly loosened. He could hear the loud thud the blade made with the ground, as he felt his knees give way, forcing him to kneel beside his suffering brother.

"I'm here Kai, I promise… I'm here for you…" Aruto soothed, applying pressure to the wound he had intentionally caused. His eyes were focused upon the wound, as he pushed down.

"Pinky promise?" It was almost humorous, hearing such juvenile words from such a bulky man.

"Always…"

"Good." Before Aruto could focus, he felt large hands around his throat. He looked up, seeing the sadism within Kai's eyes. His own expression was contained with pure shock and horror. It was getting harder and harder to breathe.

"DAD!" Utau screamed.

"Kai…" The man removed his hands, watching his older brother hit the ground, completely lifeless.

* * *

**That twist was extremely heartbreaking and cruel. I wasn't expecting to make it so upsetting, but I got inspired, and decided to just make everything more upsetting by including the flashback. I promise, I'm immediately going to start on the final chapter. By the way, Nagi's ultimate transformation is called Amusing Allure and Utau's is called Heaven in the Hell (yes it's like the Nana Mizuki song). I always thought they should have transformed in the actual anime with both charas, so I did that. The epilogue will be worked on either in the chapter, or another chapter. I can't believe we're practically done. Review! (Last cliffhanger ;_;).**


	19. The Switch

**Oh gosh, I can't believe I'm actually typing this, but this is the last chapter… I just want to thank everyone so much for reading this! You don't understand how much it has meant to me. I'll call out individual people later, but all of you are such fabulous people :'). Without further ado, I present to you the final chapter. I'm trying to incorporate a combination of every genre this story encompasses: drama, melancholy, action, angst, romance, heck, even a touch of humor. So, I own nothing (last disclaimer) and please enjoy!**

* * *

Pure horror was the first emotion that Utau and Ikuto experienced. The extreme paleness of his face prompted Utau to cover her mouth in utter bewilderment. This man, her father… She had not seen him for eleven years. Finally, he is back, only to be murdered by her uncle; his brother. She did not know how to accurately react. She could not quite fathom the realness of the situation. Aruto Tsukiyomi was dead. No… he couldn't be… The lifeless corpse that was collapsed nearby only validated the harsh reality.

She could hear the noise of someone being sick. It was understandable. After all, they had just witnessed someone getting choked to death. However, the unattractive noise of barfing only reminded her of how this all started; the X-Virus that Gravatus had kindly distributed. He had sent around this virus, only to have Aruto return, and now, he murdered him. He was absolutely insane, Utau realized. No normal human being could possibly be so sadistic, to murder numerous people, including his brother and ex-wife.

"You…" Ikuto finally spoke, his expression matching Utau's. His face was full of pure aghast. Gravatus looked up at his nephew, his smirk forming upon his face. Utau couldn't believe it; how could he smirk so simply, after committing such brutal murder?!

"You two shouldn't be so shocked; it's not like you haven't said goodbye to him before," Gravatus pointed out. No, Utau couldn't stand to hear his voice anymore. He was horrible. He shouldn't exist.

"The switch," A voice whispered. How could someone possibly be thinking of that now?! To her utter surprise, it was none other than Amu. She looked so graceful in her transformation as Amulet Fortune. Utau nearly forgot she was transformed with both Il and El as well.

"Your attempts are futile. You will not reach the switch." Gravatus barked laughter. "Foolish guardians." He raised the gun, aiming it at the first person he saw: Tadase. He fired, but fortunately, Lulu managed to push him out of the way.

"Tadase!" Lulu cried, landing on top of him. Both of their faces were bright crimson, as they stared at each other, both bashful.

"This seems to be a habit, doesn't it?" Tadase chuckled slightly. "You keep saving me. How can I ever live my dream, if you're too busy protecting me?

"I'm not really the damsel-in-distress type." Before Tadase could open his mouth, Lulu's lips met his. Yua was swooning, but they weren't given much attention. Gravatus lifted his gun again, and fired. He incessantly fired the gun, everyone managing to avoid the shots. Utau was frozen in spot. Her father…

"Utau!" A familiar upbeat voice cried. Kukai. She had already saved him once from Gravatus's attack. She couldn't risk him getting hurt, not again. She lifted her trident that still managed to be held in her hand, and pointed it at him.

"Shining Flames!" She cried, watching Gravatus moan in pain. He fell to the ground, the wound caused by Aruto still prompting him to bleed rapidly. Utau finally gained control of her legs. She stepped closer to Gravatus, and picked up the gun he had been firing everywhere. She admired it, seeing how it fit in her hand. Gravatus grabbed her leg, in an attempt to hinder her. Before she could blink, someone kicked Gravatus. She glanced up, watching her violet-haired cousin.

"I wish I could have had any other father," Nagihiko growled. "Elegant Shot!" He shot a flowered ball in the direction of Gravatus. He moaned in further pain. Nagihiko turned to face Amu suddenly, both of them nodding. Utau paid no attention to them, turning back to Gravatus.

She shook slightly, holding the gun firmly in her fist. He was on the ground, completely fragile. That wasn't what he was known for; the normal cockiness, that sly smirk- it was now replaced with vulnerability. His eyes beckoned her, begging for mercy. Blood lay on the ground, surrounding him. Somehow, seeing his blood was a reassuring change of pace, opposed to the blood of anyone else he usually caused.

She stared coldly at the man, her hand clutching the gun tightly. This gun had caused her to be unconscious for a whole week. This gun took the life of Natsumi Fujisaki and was the result of Rima's unconscious state as well. She held the gun up to the man. That man, Kai Gravatus, was the owner of the gun, the man who manipulated its actions. This man possessed the gun, made the decision to kill or injure these people. This man dropped the bomb, destroying Easter Headquarters and as a result, killing Yukari and Tsukasa, and putting Yaya in a coma for longer than a week. This man caused Yuu to be a widower, Kairi to lose his sister and nearly his girlfriend, and Ava to be motherless. This man caused Nagihiko more pain then even conceivable. This man was also her uncle. And he killed her and Ikuto's father, with his bare hands, right in front of her.

"Death is permanent. Once you're gone, you cannot come back from it. That's what you did to Nagihiko's mother, Tsukasa Amakawa, Yukari Sanjou, even my father, Aruto Tsukiyomi; your own brother. Not to mention all of those who died from the X-Virus. I don't know if there's a heaven or hell, but if they are real, then I hope you suffer somewhere worse than hell." Utau pulled back the trigger gently. "You once told me that I was like you. Maybe, finally, we will have something in common; the fact that we both committed murder." She released the trigger, watching the bullet fly directly into her uncle's chest. She watched, as he fell over. He opened his mouth to speak, before the life was extracted out of him. Kai Gravatus was officially dead.

* * *

There was a period of silence. Their biggest antagonist, Kai Gravatus, was finally dead. Maybe he deserved it, but was death ever something to rejoice about? No reaction was meant to be uttered. Still, despite his death, the world surrounding them was not completely mended. The X-Energy was still floating around randomly, and the world was in utter chaos. The gun Utau was holding fell to the ground. Of anyone, even Ikuto, she was in the most shock. She had just murdered a human; a living, breathing human. She ended someone's life.

"We need to find the switch," Tadase finally stated, breaking the silence. There was a slight tint of pink upon his cheeks, but it did not even compare to the state of shock upon his face. Everyone nodded.

"Where would it be?" Yua wondered, looking around. "They say underground, but…ah!" Suddenly, the land she was standing on vanished, and she began falling.

"Yua!" Amu cried, running over to the hole. Everyone else followed.

"Oof, my butt!" Yua cried. "I'm okay. I-I think I see it! Come on down; it's not that deep!"

"It's pointless if we all go down," Rima pointed out. "Amu's the one with the great power, so maybe she should go down alone?" Everyone turned to the pinkette, who immediately grew flustered.

"Besides Amu, you're pretty used to falling down holes!" Ran reminded her, from inside.

"B-But what if it isn't me?" Amu wondered. "I mean… I don't think I-"

"Amu, shut up," Nagihiko muttered, though his voice wavered significantly. "Of course you can do it. If anyone can, it's you. You purified me from the immense X-Energy I exerted. If you can do that, I have no doubt that…" He stopped short suddenly, his eyes focusing on the hole in the ground.

"Nagi? What's wrong?" Rima wondered.

"I…I feel something weird. I can't explain it, but I…"

"Nagi might be the one with the great power!" Amu realized, looking at her friend. He glanced back at Amu.

"Maybe. I caused the X-Energy, so perhaps I can finally atone for my mistakes…"

"Well… go! Pull the switch! I don't want to be trapped in here forever!" Yua moaned. Nagihiko took a deep breath, watching Amu.

"Together?"

"That's what best friends are for." A small smile crossed Nagihiko's face. Rima snorted slightly, but both Amu and Nagihiko ignored her.

"Say Rima-Tan? Who exactly are you jealous of?" Yaya wondered, nudging her. Rima's eyes widened, looking at Yaya in utter horror. Amu and Nagihiko jumped into the hole, landing directly upon their feet. They looked around, studying all of the features around them. It was quite dark, with Yua's bright orange hair standing out. However, there was something else emitting light.

"The switch," Nagihiko realized, stepping closer to it. It was quite large, extending to both sides of the somewhat narrow tunnel underground. Its height was fairly tall, probably scaling over Rima. It was glowing, its golden color shining. Like a light switch, it had a large structure that had room to be turned over.

"My god, it's… beautiful," Amu marveled. "I never thought I would call a switch beautiful, but wow…"

"It really is," Nagihiko agreed. "I can feel its power. Can't you? It's as if it's almost… beckoning me towards it."

"You must be the one with the great power," Amu told him. "I'm not feeling anything uncanny. I feel fine." Amu had a small smile. "Finally I'm not the one who needs to fix everything!"

"Guess so… I guess I might as well pull it. I mean, it's going to be simple, right?" Nagihiko took a deep breath.

"What are you thinking?" Amu wondered, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I mean, they say one with great power has to activate the powerful light. What if in the process of pulling this…" Nagihiko shook his head. "You know what? I shouldn't care. I've lost so much already, including my mother, even my father. I don't have parents anymore. My housekeeper abandoned me, entrusting me with the burden and pressure of handling money. So, why do I care? Why do I bother to keep going?" Amu opened her mouth to speak, but Nagihiko put a finger to her lips. "It's because of you, Amu-Chan. It's because of everyone; Tadase, Yaya, Kukai, the Tsukiyomi siblings, of course Rima, and everyone else." He smiled lightly. "Don't worry, you too Yua-Chan." Yua grinned immensely.

"Nagi…" Amu hugged her friend. "I think you can do it. If you possess such power, you can pull a petty switch, right?"

"Let's hope so. I don't want to die, but if I can possibly make a difference… it's worth the risk."

"Nagi, are you…sure?"

"Positive." He let go of her, and turned to the switch. He stepped closer to it, cringing in the bright light. He turned to face Amu and Yua briefly, giving them a smile contrary to how he truly felt. He turned back to the massive switch in front of him, and reached for the switch part. He grabbed it, and slowly pulled it. Finally, the switch reached the opposite side. An extremely bright light emitted out of it.

"I can't see!" Yua whined.

"Nagi, are you okay?!" Amu exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm alright!" He called, attempting to shade his eyes. After a few minutes, the light finally vanished, making it difficult for the three of them to adjust to the cave's darkness.

"What was that?!" Lulu wondered.

"Did you guys do it?!" Yaya wondered excitedly. Amu opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly, she saw Nagihiko collapse to the ground.

"Nagi!" Amu cried, running over to him.

"Oh no…" Yua began hyperventilating. Nagihiko's charas exited his body, ending the transformation. They looked at Amu, concerned. Amu gulped, ending her transformation as well. She character changed with Ran, and floated up, lifting Nagihiko.

"Hey!" Yua called. "Just because I'm the awkward single one here who doesn't get anyone, doesn't mean I should be forgotten!" Yaya picked up one of the katana, grinning to herself, as she placed it through the hole. Yua grabbed the blade, and allowed Yaya to pull her up. "Ew, it was bloody…."

"Nagi!" Rima ran over to Amu and him, concerned. "Oh god… is he breathing…? I'm not doing this again. No. I'm not waiting another five freaking months for him to wake up, and to be worried if he's going to die or not. I'm done with that. He better just…"

"I'm fine," Nagihiko muttered, sitting up suddenly. Rima smiled softly, and wrapped her arms around him. He smiled, pulling her into an embrace.

"I knew you'd be okay," She whispered.

"Yeah, sure you did," He teased, kissing the top of her head.

"The X-Energy is gone!" Kukai exclaimed, glancing around. "It's done… It's really done! Nagi, you did it!" He ran over to the embracing couple, and hugged them both tightly.

"YAY! WE DID IT!" Yaya exclaimed, dancing around. "C'mon, high-five Kairi-Kun!" She looked at her boyfriend, who had a disheartened expression. "Kairi-Kun? Be happy; it's over!" She playfully shoved him.

"It's just…" He sighed. "I wish my sister could have seen this. She…She'll never know that we were actually able to do it…"

"Give her some credit." All eyes turned to Utau. She had not spoken a word since she killed Gravatus. "Yukari knew. She was always somewhat confident. She spoke as if she knew this would end. She said things she couldn't wait to do with Ava when the world was back…" Utau's voice choked. Kairi lowered his eyes. "Ava… Kairi, you have to do your niece a favor. You need to tell her how wonderful her mother was." Kairi nodded.

"Of course." She looked over at her lifeless father.

"At least Ava has a loving father, and a mother who did love her immensely. I…I know that feeling all too well, of not knowing anything about your parent. I wanted to hear his tales of sailing, and all about his adventures. Daddy used to be a wonderful story teller. I just wanted to know…understand…" Her voice was cracking significantly. She was suddenly pulled into a hug by her older brother.

"It doesn't matter now," Ikuto tried to reassure, but his own voice was cracked. "Utau, we have each other; we'll always have each other."

"Ikuto…" Utau suddenly burst into sobs, as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I murdered a human. I ended his life. He killed my father, my manager, my…"

"Utau, he wasn't a human. Well, he had the blood and skin and stuff, but inside, he was nothing more than a disgusting monster," Kukai tried to reassure. "It needed to be done. Who knows who else we would have lost?" Utau glanced up with watery eyes, and smiled slightly at him. She lowered her head back to Ikuto. A few tears escaped his eyes as well. Surprised, he wiped them away, hoping no one noticed. Amu smiled at him slightly.

"Let's go back," Tadase suggested. "We should tell Nikaidou-Sensei…well, he's not really my teacher anymore… Anyway, we should tell him that it's over. The X-Energy is gone." His hand was intertwined with Lulu's. Everyone nodded, Rima helping Nagihiko to his feet. While everyone else walked ahead, Utau and Ikuto stayed behind. They lifted their father's body, abandoning Gravatus's body, and carried him to the graveyard nearby where Yukari and Tsukasa had their funeral. Utau and Ikuto each lifted a shovel, and began digging solemnly. Since they didn't have a coffin or anything, they simply dropped his body once they had a big enough hole, and covered it.

"Ikuto…" He looked at his little sister. "I'm just happy that we got to see him once. We finally understand why he left, even got a glimpse at who he was. I mean, I would have loved to see him more, but at least we got somewhat of a chance…"

"Yeah…" Ikuto agreed, both of them glancing at the hole. Ikuto held the katana that he had swung, and placed it in the ground. "Thank you Dad…" The siblings watched the ground for a minute, before finally deciding to head back as well.

* * *

"The X-Energy is gone," Yuu noticed, as the others entered the door. He was cradling Ava. "The switch… did you pull it?" Yua nodded eagerly, and hugged him tightly. Slightly uncomfortably, Yuu returned the hug.

"We can finally relax," Amu realized, laying down on the couch. "I just hope Ikuto's okay. Utau too. I mean…"

"Don't worry Amu," Kukai reassured, walking beside her. "You know them. They've gone through so much. This is certainly the worst, but they'll handle it. Utau's super strong. If anyone can cope, it's her." There was suddenly a knock at the door. Yuu got up, and opened it, revealing Yaya's parents.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Yaya jumped up, and hugged them tightly. "Tsubasa!"

"Oh god, you really are awake…" They whispered, hugging her.

"You visited Yaya in the hospital?!" Yaya exclaimed.

"Sorry… I kind of forgot to tell you that they came," Kukai admitted, scratching the back of his head. "I should have told you guys that Yaya woke up, but I just got so excited and distracted…"

"It's okay," They reassured. "Yaya, is it true everything is over?" Yaya nodded, bouncing up and down. "We can go home now. It will take a long time for everything to truly repair itself, but we can start rebuilding our old life."

"Yeah!" Yaya agreed, grinning.

* * *

A few days passed. Yaya was spending more time with her family and officially moved back into her old house. However, she still managed to visit every day. Tadase and Kukai were back with their families as well, and Kairi's parents were visiting again.

"God, the doorbell has been ringing so much!" Yuu exclaimed, running up to get it. "Who is this?" Two adults stood at the door, with a little girl.

"Hi… I'm Midori Hinamori, and this is my husband Tsugumu, and my daughter Ami. Our daughter, Amu has been staying here."

"Ah yes, come on in." Yuu led them inside. When the Hinamori family spotted Amu, she was preoccupied by kissing Ikuto. They watched, their eyes widened.

"What happened to Sissy's prince?" Ami wondered, faking sadness.

"WHAT?! I AM NOT A PRINCE I-" Lulu wacked her finally-official boyfriend's head, ending the character change. Tadase looked at her, smiling softly. Amu broke apart from Ikuto, and let out a squeal. Her cheeks were bright red.

"M-Mom! D-Dad! Ami! Uh… I-I'm happy to see you!" She exclaimed, her cheeks bright red. She hugged her family, pleased to see them. Ikuto smiled slightly, seeing Amu's happiness. He knew how much it meant to her to see them. Yet, somehow, it still managed to sting, to see Amu's complete family, and he knowing he never would.

"Ah, I forgot to tell you guys," Lulu realized. Ikuto, Tadase, Rima, Kairi, Yua, and Yuu looked at her, since everyone else was somewhere else or not at Yuu's house. Amu was busy with her family. "Maman just called. She told me that she could book a flight back to France for me."

"Lulu-Chan…" Tadase's eyes turned sad.

"Don't worry Tadase. I declined." Everyone looked at Lulu, completely shocked. "I didn't want to leave here. The schooling system works differently in Japan than in France, so I'll be attending Seiyo Academy as a sixth grader."

"Oh My Gosh, really?! Same! Well, I'm in the sixth grade because I failed the fourth grade, but hey, we're together still!" Yua high-fived Lulu. "I'm transferring here, since it's supposedly cheaper."

"Actually, that could prove to be quite convenient," Kairi realized. "Upon starting school last year, Yaya-Chan and I found ourselves in a difficult position, due to the fact that we were the only guardians. Perhaps you two would be intrigued to join the guardians. Yaya-Chan may wish to participate in this discussion, but I highly doubt she will oppose to this."

"Ah yes!" Yua exclaimed, grinning. "I can purify things, so I can be the Joker just like Amu!" Amu glanced up, upon hearing her name called.

"I would gladly take the position of the Queen, I suppose," Lulu suggested. "A Queen suits a King after all." Tadase beamed at her, blushing significantly.

"She's the next Queen?" Rima wondered, raising an eyebrow. "Hm… That's my position. I'm not just going to give it to anyone. She needs-"

"Of course Lulu can be the next Queen," Nagihiko interrupted, walking down the stairs. Rima frowned at him. "I was the Queen too, so I have as much say as you."

"But I was the most recent former Queen!"

"I had more experience than you."

"I was still a better Queen!"

"I don't see you activating any switches that change the world."

"Well, I didn't emit like tons of X-Energy initially."

"You had the X-Virus too, and it was your fault I got it." Everyone watched, as Nagihiko and Rima entered their typical banter. Rima had a huge smile.

"It's been so long since we've teased each other. I missed that."

"Me too," Nagihiko agreed. He sat beside her, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't really know where I'm going now," Rima realized, sighing. "I mean, my mother is dead, and my father is some drunken creep, so now what?"

"Well, you could stay here," Yuu told her, smiling. "There's always a spot for any of you.

"Thanks…" Rima smiled as well, slipping her arm through Nagihiko's. Amu finally finished her conversation with her family.

"I'm going to come home tomorrow," Amu promised. "I just want to sleep here one last time." Her family nodded, giving her a quick hug before leaving.

"I actually have something I want to tell you all…" Nagihiko told them. "I just want everyone to come here." As if on cue, Utau and Kukai descended the steps together. Yaya was not too far off, bouncing down each step.

"What were you two doing together?" Ikuto wondered, watching his sister and Kukai.

"We were just hanging out really," Kukai admitted.

"They already did the deed," Yaya pointed out. Kukai's face turned dark crimson, making everyone stare at him suspiciously, with the exception of Nagihiko. Utau raised an eyebrow at Yaya, probably wondering how she knew.

"The deed, meaning the chores," Utau muttered. "We did the chores together. What was it you were going to say Fujisaki?" She quickly changed the subject, but Ikuto was still evidently disturbed.

"Well… A lot has happened here, to say the least. I really need a break and some time to cope, so, tomorrow, I'm leaving for France." Rima had an appalled expression.

"What?!" She exclaimed.

"I won't be gone too long, I promise," He soothed. "When school restarts, I'll surely be there on the first day, I promise."

"Y-You can't leave though," Rima murmured. "I already lost you for five months. Who knows when school will restart? I don't want to wait that long."

"We're already in May, Rima-Chan; school supposedly starts in September, so it's only in four months." He kissed her gently.

"Nagi, I'm going to miss you," Kukai muttered.

"I'll miss you guys too," Nagihiko agreed. "I really should pack some more." He stood up, and went to his room to pack.

As he stuffed his clothing into a suitcase, he sighed remorsefully. He was going to miss his friends. However, he really needed a break from Japan. Too much stuff had happened, that he needed to just think about elsewhere. France was where his mother was buried, so he thought he might as well pay her a visit. Besides, he missed Baaya too.

A knock on his door made him glance up and sigh. He figured it would be Rima, so he told her to open the door. To his surprise, it was Utau and Ikuto.

"Hey," They greeted, sitting down nearby. He greeted them as well, finishing up his packing.

"I can't blame you for leaving honestly," Utau admitted, sighing. "I mean, you really need a break."

"I'm glad you guys are here actually," Nagihiko told them. "You've guys endured as much, if not more than me. There are still tickets being sold for pretty cheap, if you want them. I wouldn't mind bringing you along." Utau thought for a moment.

"Actually, that sounds great. I would love to," Utau told him. "I mean, both Ikuto and I need the break, and…"

"I'm not going actually." Utau turned to her brother, shocked.

"W-What?!"

"I need to think here. I don't want to leave Amu either. Utau, that shouldn't stop you though. You're strong; you don't need me. Besides, Fujisaki said it was only four months," Ikuto pointed out.

"Ikuto… I'm really going to miss you," Utau whispered.

"I'll miss you too." Utau booked her flight, and packed up as well.

* * *

The next day, Nagihiko and Utau lugged their suitcases, preparing to leave. She gave her brother a final hug, her eyes lowering.

"Nagi! I can't believe this. First, you're leaving me. And now, you're taking my girlfriend with you? Man, I'm going to miss you two so much." Kukai pulled both of them into a hug. Nagihiko smiled lightly at Kukai, hugging him back.

"Kukai… I promise we'll have another basketball match when I'm back." Kukai grinned.

"Definitely!" He ended his hug with Nagihiko, and turned to Utau, his grin subsiding. "Four months…I'm really going to miss you Utau."

"You'll be fine," Utau promised. "I love you Souma." She kissed him suddenly, but he eagerly responded.

"I love you too," He uttered between breaths.

"Nagi, I actually heard the flight was cancelled." Nagihiko turned, and raised an eyebrow at the petite blonde girl in front of him.

"Okay Rima." He smiled lightly, and bent down to hug her. "It's not that long. It's less time than the coma."

"But, I'll miss you…"

"I'll be back for school, I promise." He kissed her, and she responded. Yuu stood at the front of the house, watching the two couples in front of him. He sighed, missing his own wife. Both couples ended their kiss, and Kukai and Rima reluctantly said goodbye to Nagihiko and Utau. Yuu drove them to the airport.

"See you in four months," Nagihiko told Yuu, exiting the car with Utau.

"I can't believe how promising everything is," Utau whispered to Nagihiko. "I mean, I never actually thought we could do it."

"Me neither," Nagihiko agreed. Their flight was ready to board, after an hour of waiting. The two of them looked behind them, thinking of their friends. As they took off on the plane, they were shocked to find the sky perfectly blue and cloudy. The lack of darkness prompted the cousins to smile reassuringly.

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed! I've actually had the majority of the death scene of Gravatus written a while ago. Of course, I changed some details, but it remained mainly the same. The epilogue will be up soon, I promise. I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, besides the epilogue!**


	20. Epilogue

**So here we are, at the epilogue. Again, thank you all so much for your kind reviews. I always awaited reading your kind reviews. I especially have to thank bluemoonbutterfly, Nightshadowmidnight, Twisterheart, SoraLover1994, ClarinetGirl3929, iiGabbyLove, Ainlina101, and so many more people that have also reviewed for supporting me and giving fabulous reviews that make me smile. Also, I want to thank those people who alerted, those who had this as a favorite, and those ghost readers I know existed who read every chapter and just haven't reviewed. Wow, I sound like I just won an Emmy or something… Well, anyhow, I've never done this for a story before, but this was my most popular and my favorite I've ever written. Enjoy the epilogue!**

* * *

Four months had passed since Nagihiko and Utau took off for France. Nagihiko had promised he would return for the first day of school, which would be commencing in twenty minutes. Amu slowly opened her eyes, facing the walls of her room she had reacquainted herself with. She smiled slightly, feeling arms surround her. Ikuto often popped up in her room, and slept beside her. Unlike in previous circumstances, Amu did not force him to leave, and actually admitted to enjoying his company. They were officially a couple after all.

"AMU! Finally you're up!" Ran exclaimed.

"What's up?" Amu wondered lazily, noticing Ikuto's eyes slowly open.

"Um, you completely slept through your alarm! It's the first day of school!" Amu's eyes widened. She rose from her bed, shoving Ikuto's arm off of her. She had twenty minutes to get there. She started throwing off her clothes, and frantically searched through her drawer.

"Miki! What should I wear?" Amu moaned. A small smile crossed her face. This felt familiar. Last year, when she started school, she shouted to Miki wondering what she should wear.

"Well, this purple dress is awfully cute," Miki pointed out, gesturing to it." Amu walked over to it, and began to put it on.

"Good morning Amu. Your bed is awfully comfortable with the new comforter and…" Ikuto froze. Amu panicked, completely forgetting he was there. She soon became alert to the fact she was only in her undergarments. With an extremely intense blush, she slipped on her dress.

"I-I forgot you were there…" She admitted shyly.

"I don't mind at all," He pointed out. "That sounded better in my head…" Amu giggled, and lightly kissed him.

"I better be off to school. Wow, it's been so long!" She exclaimed. "See you later, Ikuto!"

"First day of school, huh?" Ikuto smiled, one of his rare sincere smiles. "She should be home today…"

"Who? Oh my god, Utau! And Nagi!" Amu's eyes widened. "I can't wait to see them! Shoot, I'm going to be late if I don't go now! Bye Ikuto!" Amu hurried out of her room, leaving Ikuto to chuckle.

"She's so frazzled in the morning…" Ikuto sighed, deciding to move himself. He couldn't wait to see his little sister after four long months.

Amu stuffed a piece of toast into her mouth, and dashed out the door, her backpack firmly on her back. Her parents had offered her a ride, but she declined, since the world was filled with much less crime. She started her walk, admiring the pure streets of her city. Cars were constantly driving by again. Everything was practically back to normal. Of course, nothing would ever truly be the same. It wasn't like they could magically forget everything happened. The people who lost their lives were still gone.

"Amu!" A quiet voice interrupted Amu from her deep thoughts. She turned, facing a petite blonde. Despite being earlier in the morning, Rima had an immense smile upon her face. If Amu had not known the reason, she would have questioned it, considering she seldom smiled.

"Hey Rima! First day of school, huh?"

"Take two," Rima pointed out, giggling slightly. "Wow, I never thought I'd be so excited for school. Well, I'm not really excited for school, but I'm excited for one person."

"I can't wait to see him!" Amu exclaimed. "Utau too. I can't believe it's been four months… Well, come to think of it, I was technically separated from Nagi for a year when he went to Europe, and he was in a coma for five months, but still!"

"He better keep his promise," Rima muttered. "Nagi lies a lot. He better not have lied about this. If he did, I…" A loud beep interrupted her. Both girls looked up, seeing a red car pull up to them. They would have been quite suspicious, if it weren't for the window that opened, revealing an auburn-haired boy in the passenger's seat.

"You ladies need a ride?" Kukai teased.

"Thanks Kukai!" Amu and Rima got into the car, buckling their seats in the back. Kukai turned to face them, grinning happily.

"That's my brother Rento driving the car." He gave them a wave, and started driving. "Today's the day!"

"I haven't forgotten," Rima pointed out.

"Geez, I need to see them," Kukai whined. "This is Nagi and Utau we're talking about. One of my best friends, and my girlfriend! I miss them so much! I cannot wait!"

Finally, Rento pulled the car up to the middle school. To their astonishment, it looked exactly the same as they remembered. Amu and Rima thanked Rento, and followed Kukai inside. Students crowded the hallway, filling them with a sense of familiarity. Amu glanced around, recognizing many students. It was quite overwhelming. There were some people who were quietly talking, exchanging hugs, even tears. It was quite evident to her that everyone had experienced some sort of loss.

"Amu! Those were our lockers, I think…" She turned, facing a set of lockers. Kukai had gone to his locker. Number 987 was hers, she remembered. Nearby, Rima crouched to her locker, having the bottom one obviously. "Um… what was my combination?"

"I don't even know… Oh wait, I think I remember mine!" Amu turned her locker suddenly, and to her surprise, it opened. Her charas began erupting in futile cheers, of which Amu ignored.

"Uh… I think I might know mine, but I never really opened it. Tadase had to open it for me on the first day, and I only really made it one and a half days before I got sick…" Rima furrowed her eyebrows, staring at the perplexing locker in front of her.

"Do you need help Mashiro-San?" Rima glanced up, smirking slightly at the sight of Tadase. Rima had forgiven Tadase for telling her father the address, and the tension between them was completely subsided.

"Yeah…" Tadase smiled, as Rima uttered the combination, and he opened it easily. Rima thanked him, and put some binders away, though it was unlikely they were doing work.

"Hey Tadase," Amu greeted. Tadase turned to her, and smiled.

"Today's the day?" Both girls nodded eagerly. "Have you heard anything from either of them? I was hoping they would email us or text us that they landed…"

"Nope, nothing," Rima admitted, closing her locker. She glanced at the locker above her, and half-heartedly smiled. She put her hand on it, feeling the coldness of the metal. "Please don't break your promise," She whispered.

They waved goodbye to Tadase, and headed to their first period class. They were stopped a few times by Rima's fanboys.

"Rima! We sat here!" Amu pointed out, leading them to their seats. As the class filled up, both of them continued to watch the vacant seat beside Rima. Rima's eyes darkened, as the time until class became shorter. Amu gave her friend a sympathy smile, though she hoped Nagihiko would show up too.

"Rima, is that really you?" She turned to the desk in front of her, sighing in disgust. Fuyuki Kirishima was studying her, smirking slightly. "I'm so happy you made it out alright. I was so worried about you…"

"Uh-huh," Rima mumbled, not really caring. She had been there when Amu purified him, so she wasn't concerned. Besides that one time, he had never really crossed her mind. To her dismay, Saaya Yamabuki sat beside Kirishima, and suddenly pressed her lips to his. Kirishima wrapped his arms around her, and they began kissing passionately in front of everyone. Amu and Rima exchanged glances, and stifled their laughter.

Suddenly, the bell sounded, prompting the apparent couple to separate. The teacher entered the room, the same one that had previously been their math teacher for a week (two days for Rima). Rima looked at the empty seat beside her, feeling extremely disappointed. He had promised her! She ignored the tears that desired to escape her eyes. Where was he?

"Wow… I don't even know how to start…" The teacher took a deep breath. "To say the least, this past year has been quite difficult." There were a few nervous laughs. "Well, today is supposed to be a day for you all to ease back into things. I know everyone probably has an abundance of stories each, but for now, we…" Footsteps into the classroom interrupted the teacher's speech. All students looked at the source of the footsteps in awe. Amu was smiling, but nothing compared to the sincere smile Rima had plastered upon her face. It was as if she was a child that had been promised a present she didn't believe she would have, but she got it anyway. It was one of the sweetest things Amu had ever seen.

"I-I apologize for my tardiness," He told the teacher.

"Ah, Fujisaki-San, it's quite alright," The teacher reassured, somehow remembering his name. He smiled softly, and went to take his seat beside Rima. Some fangirls watched him, in utter amusement.

"Wow, is it me, or has he gotten cuter?" A few of them whispered, watching him. He sat down in his respectful chair, ignoring the girls' comments. He turned to Amu and Rima, and smiled warmly at them. Rima had to use every muscle in her body to prevent herself from leaping up and embracing him at that moment. The teacher continued talking about the rough times of the year, completely oblivious to how much Nagihiko suffered.

"Nagi!" Amu hissed, leaning over Rima. He smiled at Amu. "How was France?"

"It was great," He admitted. "I'll tell you both all about it later."

"Typical nerd, always focusing on the teacher even when the lesson is irrelevant," Rima pointed out. Unlike her usual snide comments, she had a warm irreplaceable smile upon her face. Nagihiko smiled at her, and reached for her hand under their desks. She took it, intertwining her fingers with his. She appreciated the warmth of his hand, and focused more on him than the "lesson".

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Everyone rose, and exited the classroom, Nagihiko and Rima still hand in hand. Amu followed them. Once they were out of the class, Amu hugged Nagihiko, who happily returned it. When she let go, Rima hugged him, and he gently returned it.

"I knew you would come back," She whispered.

"I promised you I wouldn't lie to you anymore," He reminded her, kissing her cheek. Rima's blush and bashful smile made Amu chuckle at them.

Finally, it was lunch time after more periods of drabbling on about the horrible year. Nagihiko and Rima got their lunches from their lockers, and followed Amu to the cafeteria.

"Nagihiko! You're back!" Tadase exclaimed, hugging his friend. A few people stared, wondering if there was something to their affection.

"I wouldn't have let you guys down," Nagihiko reassured. Tadase turned to Amu, and led her on the lunch line. It was just Rima and Nagihiko now. In the past, she would have done anything to get away from him, but now, she was absolutely delighted to be alone with him.

"It's kind of loud in here, don't you think?" She looked at him, and nodded slowly. "Let's go somewhere else." He took her hand, and led her out of the cafeteria.

"NAGI!" A booming voice shouted. Kukai passed them in the hallway, and hugged him tightly.

"Kukai! Great to see you!"

"I'm going to be pretty late to English, but I'll catch you later!" He ruffled Nagihiko's hair, and winked at Rima. "Before I go… Utau, is she-"

"Utau's great," Nagihiko told him. "She can't wait to see you also." Kukai grinned happily, and hurried away. He chuckled lightly, and turned back to his girlfriend. "I think I know somewhere we can go, where we'll be undisturbed."

"Where?" To her surprise, they were outside now. Even more to her surprise, she was suddenly being carried in Nagihiko's arms to the roof, where she was placed gingerly. Nagihiko was beside her, frowning at Rhythm.

"Really Rhythm? Without any warning? Geez, you sure love meddling in my relationship…" Rhythm grinned. He rolled his eyes at his chara, and smiled sweetly at Rima.

"Nagi, don't you think we'd be in trouble if someone found us up here?" Rima wondered.

"As long as we don't do anything horrible, we should be fine. There are other serious offences students are going to be committing today, since they are all 'stressed out.' Besides, what's wrong with breaking the rules for once?" Rima giggled slightly.

"I just never really knew you to be the rebellious type. Aren't you Mr. Perfect in classes? Geez, what did France do to you?"

"Nothing really. I'm the same guy you knew four months ago, though I suppose I've coped some more about everything. I'll never completely recover, but this is an improvement, at least." He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. Rima stared into his honey-golden eyes, smiling softly. She reached for some of his violet hair, and tousled it.

"You know, with us here looking at each other, it's kind of like _Twilight_."

"Well, besides the fact I'm not a creepy vampire, and you aren't some helpless girl. That romance is pretty disgusting. I'm positive our relationship is much better than that."

"Definitely." They leaned closer to each other, and began kissing. He pulled her even closer to his body, and they stayed kissing on the roof for who knew how long. It took them a bit for their kiss to intensify. Her tongue entered his mouth, and vice versa. They continued making out like that for a while, both of them losing track of time. Nagihiko pulled back suddenly, his face bright red. Rima giggled nervously, her cheeks matching his. She reached out, and caressed his cheek.

"I love you Rima… I don't think I should ever leave you again," Nagihiko whispered.

"I love you too, Nagi. You shouldn't." She smiled slightly. "Wow, I guess we've become as serious as Utau and Kukai at this point." Nagihiko's eyes widened.

"N-No I wouldn't say that!" He exclaimed quickly. Rima looked at him surprised. "I mean, we aren't too far, but… they've taken a serious step that I'm not willing to do for some time."

"Wait… Kukai and Utau…" He put a finger to her lips.

"Mind not telling Ikuto, or Amu for that matter? That's what Utau told me to specifically make sure of."

"So Yaya wasn't making it up…" Rima sighed.

"We should probably head back." He checked his watch. "We have about five minutes before the bell rings again." Rima nodded, and took his hand, allowing him to help her down.

As they entered the cafeteria, Amu and Tadase were watching them suspiciously. They smiled, joining them casually.

"Geez, you guys were gone for a half an hour!" Amu exclaimed. "What were you two even doing?" The couple exchanged smiles.

"Nothing really of importance… What's up with you two?" Nagihiko wondered.

"We were just reminiscing," Tadase explained. "I mean, we've gotten so far. Last time we were in this cafeteria together, we were dating…sort of?"

"Were we dating?" Amu wondered, looking at Tadase. He scratched the back of his head.

"I don't really know," He admitted. "I mean, I really did like you, but you also liked Ikuto-NiiSan, and plus, we weren't really officially a couple…" They laughed together. "I'm glad we can still be good friends without dating Amu-Chan. Heck, I'm even happy for you and Ikuto-NiiSan now. How did _that_ happen?" Rima and Nagihiko watched, as they laughed.

"I'm happy for you and Lulu too," Amu agreed. "You two are adorable!" Tadase beamed.

After school, the four of them met up again with Kukai. They left their books in their lockers, and decided to head to the Royal Garden, to visit the new guardians. As they left the school, they walked together.

"Wow Tadase, when did you get a haircut?" All eyes turned, facing a blonde pigtailed teenager. Kukai's eyes lit up, as he went to embrace her. She happily returned his hug.

"Just a few weeks ago," Tadase admitted.

"I noticed too, but I…was busy during lunch," Nagihiko pointed out. Rima glanced at the ground shyly. "It looks nice." He beamed.

"Thanks! I'm happy to see you Utau."

"Yeah, same to you all. Of course, I said hello to my brother first. And of course my father." Everyone stared at her blankly. She rolled her eyes. "His grave. Well, the stick in the dirt that resembles a grave anyway."

"Let's go to the Royal Garden! God, it's been so long!" Kukai exclaimed.

* * *

Yaya's day was much more somber than everyone else's. When she first entered her classroom, she was completely stunned to see Yuu there. She was certain he would be skipping today! Awkwardly, Yaya made her way to her seat. She waved at many people in her class, including Logan her fake crush. Once the bell rang, Yuu cleared his throat, and tripped on something. The class burst into laughter, Yaya's the loudest.

"YUU-TAN IS A KLUTZ!" Yaya screeched, prompting the entire class to turn to her. She grinned, munching on a piece of chocolate she pretended was gum to have her parents allow her to chew it. Yuu raised an eyebrow at Yaya, obviously displeased with the fact she referred to him with his first name.

"Well, first of all, I would like to welcome our new student to the class, Lulu De Morcef-Yamamoto." Lulu stood up, and curtsied. Yua was in the other sixth grade class.

"Bonjour tout le monde! I-I mean…Je regrette…" A few students whispered, obviously coming up with some rumor. Old habits seemed unable to change.

"Well, I… This past year has been extremely hard for everyone. I know everyone had some hardship. In fact, I had one of my own." He took a deep breath before continuing. "My wife, Yukari Sanjou, passed away. She was the kindest and strongest woman I have ever known. I love her so much…" To Yaya's surprise, Yuu was managing to speak without shedding a tear. It was clear that he had been practicing. "However, they say when one door closes, another opens. I think that really is true, though it occurred in the opposite order. Before Yukari… we had a child together, Ava Nadine Nikaijou. You all might wonder why I'm telling you this." He smiled. "Well, this is my lesson for today. Of course, we all lost so much. Maybe you even nearly died, or almost lost someone." He looked at Yaya when he said that. "Or maybe, like me, you lost someone dear to you. I know we all lost someone very special, our principal Tsukasa Amakawa. My point is, as horrible as it is, the pain never truly vanishes. You'll always feel them, or be reminded of them. However, maybe its cliché, but it will get better. You need to stay strong. Maybe you lost one person you love, but you have others you love, others who count on you to get better. I'm not saying you can get better immediately. It could take years before you recover or start a new lifestyle. And that's okay. I'm still living my life for my daughter, my brother-in-law, and my parents-in-law. I'm also living for her, Yukari…" There was a small gap of silence, before the class began applauding. Many students were crying, evidently having lost someone. Even Yaya shared her own tears.

"That was beautiful," Yaya whispered, standing up, and going to hug Yuu. He was completely taken aback, but he hugged her back.

"Thank you Yaya," He whispered. "You're going to help me take care of Kairi, right?"

"Duh!" Yaya smiled slightly, and let go of her teacher. Yuu smiled warmly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar green-haired figure in a tree. She cocked her head to the side. Why wasn't he in class?

For the rest of her day, Yuu allowed them to relax. When the bell rang, everyone left, excited to go home. Yaya waited to leave however, wanting to talk to Yuu. A few moments later, Kairi walked in.

"Kai-Kai!" Yaya exclaimed, grinning. "Why were you here before?"

"Our class was cancelled. It seems that my teacher…" Kairi sighed. "Yuu, regarding your speech…" He blushed.

"Uh… Well, I meant every word of it! But, um… I don't really…" Kairi nodded. Yuu coughed slightly. Yaya looked at Kairi for a moment, before turning back to Yuu.

"NO YUU-TAN! YOU MIGHT HAVE THE X-VIRUS!" Yaya screeched. "COUGHING IS THE FIRST STEP, AND THEN YUCKY STUFF, AND THEN BERSERK PHASE, AND THEN…" Kairi placed a hand on her head.

"Yaya-Chan, we have eliminated all presence of the X-Virus," Kairi reminded her. "It is merely a cough."

"You know what? Kai-Kai shouldn't use an honorific with Yaya. Yaya and Kai-Kai are in a relationship! NO HONORIFICS!"

"Yaya-Chan, err…"

"BAD KAI-KAI!"

"Have I suddenly changed into a dog?" Yaya nodded giddily. Kairi rolled his eyes at Yaya, but a smile was evident upon his face.

"Oh, before you two go, I wanted to talk to you about something." They looked at him curiously. "I was offered the position of the new principal."

"That is pleasing news. I am certain that you will make a-"

"I declined." Yaya and Kairi gawked. "Teaching is what I truly want to do, not being a principal. Besides, I don't think I would feel comfortable replacing Tsukasa."

"The salary for a principal is quite higher, isn't it?"

"Well, they raised my salary to match that of a principal." Yuu smiled slightly. "According to Tsukasa, I was one of the most gifted teachers. I don't think that's true, but…"

"Oh shut up Yuu-Tan! You're fabulous!"

"Well… Thanks Yaya…" Yuu scratched the back of his head. "I ought to head home. My sister isn't super familiar with babysitting… See you later Kairi." Kairi nodded at his brother-in-law, and turned back to Yaya.

"Shall we head to the Royal Garden?" Kairi offered, extending his hand. Yaya took it, slipping her fingers through his.

"Yippee!~ It's been a long while!" Yaya started skipping to the Royal Garden, dragging Kairi behind her. He sighed in defeat.

When they arrived at the Royal Garden, they were surprised to find themselves the last ones there. Yua and Lulu were now wearing the guardian capes. Lulu seemed to be uncomfortable wearing it, but Tadase was smiling at her reassuringly. Ikuto was there too, lifting up Amu who was trying to wiggle out of his grasp. Kukai grinned at Yaya and Kairi, but held Utau's hand. Rima was beside Nagihiko, the two of them sitting on the couches beside each other, with his arm around her shoulders and her leaning on him.

"NAGI-TAN!" Yaya screeched, dashing over to him, and hugging him tightly.

"You haven't gotten any less strong," Nagihiko pointed out, removing his arm from Rima and hugging her back. Kairi smiled at Nagihiko, who smiled back.

"UTAU-CHI TOO!" Yaya hugged her tightly, surprising her.

"This is horrible," Utau murmured. "Let go of me. Please." Yaya ignored her, only hugging tighter to spite her. Kukai laughed at them, Utau shooting him a glare. Yaya finally let go, and sat beside Kukai.

"Guardians, assemble!" Yaya grinned. "As your formal leader, Yaya Yuiki, Yaya welcomes Lulu-Chi and Yua-Tan to the guardians as the queen and joker respectively. Did Yaya just say respectively? Yaya must be learning Kairish!" Kairi rolled his eyes at her. "Anyhow, next order of business! The Frenchies! Well… not Lulu-Chi who is actually French; Nagi-Tan and Utau-Chi! How was France? Tell Yaya and everyone all about it!"

"Well… It was certainly pretty. The Eiffel Tower was rebuilt," Utau explained bluntly. "We saw a lot. I got inspired for a few new songs."

"That's a lot of details," Kukai teased.

"Nagihiko and I split up for parts of it. I visited some areas where Ikuto went to look for Father. I actually found something of his." Utau pulled out jewelry from her pocket. "A note was attached simply saying xoxoxo, so it seems he had some sort of relationship besides Souko."

"What about you Nagi?" Amu wondered, finally being put down by Ikuto, who went to examine the artifact Utau pointed out.

"Well, I visited my mother's gravestone. I met up with Baaya and her boyfriend as well. He's not what I would expect at all; he has tattoos all over him and owns a motorcycle shop…"

"Wait, isn't she all formal and stuff?" Kukai wondered.

"Mhm… That's why it's weird. I was trained briefly on how to rule the Fujisaki family, but I sort of rebelled against that." He grinned slightly uncharacteristically. "I'm not going to follow any traditions anymore. My mother once was against those traditions too, before my fath-, Gravatus kindly left us. So, I'm still in charge of the money, but I'm changing things. I'm no longer following the strict Fujisaki customs. If I ever have a son, he won't have to dress as a girl for all of his life. No matter what gender I have if I have a child, they don't even have to dance if they don't want to."

"Hear that Rima?" Kukai teased, elbowing her. She turned bright red, and glared at Kukai. Nagihiko blushed as well.

"Say, if you two did have children together, they would probably come out to be a normal height," Yua pointed out.

"I wasn't really implying that I'm having a child anytime soon," Nagihiko pointed out.

"Anyway, back to the leader of the guardians again!" Everyone glanced at Yaya. "Now, we have something important to do; search for a king!"

"No one could possibly beat Tada," Lulu pointed out, kissing his cheek.

"Well, we still need a new king!" Yaya whined.

"Come to think of it, we never really did have a king," Kukai pointed out. Tadase raised an eyebrow. Kukai turned to face Nagihiko, with a mischievous grin.

"We did, however, have a prince," Nagihiko finished, smirking. Tadase's eyes widened, and a crown popped up on his head.

"NOOOO! I AM A KING! DON'T YOU DARE REFER TO ME AS A PETTY 'PRINCE'; I CONDESCEND EVERYTHING! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Tadase yelled, standing on the table.

"Isn't he kind of hot when he does that?" Lulu wondered.

"No," Rima bluntly replied. Yaya put a bucket on Tadase's head, making him blush and calm down. She coughed, seizing the attention again.

"Yaya just wants to say something." Everyone looked at her keenly. "Well… we've all gone through so much. Can we all just promise to stay friends forever, even if the world is scary again? No more comas, no more explosions, no more evil stuff; we just need to be-"

"I sense some X-Eggs," Temari suddenly announced.

"Really? Really?" Yaya pouted. Everyone went outside, and transformed. Perhaps that was what was right, the guardians fighting against the darkness. It was what they always did, and what they always would do. Old habits never die hard.

(Nagihiko ended up purifying the X-Eggs with Temari).

* * *

…**Cut! Nope. This isn't allowed to be over. :'(. You guys are fabulous and thanks so much for reading. Review? XD. Hey, do you guys like my writing style and loved this story? Go ahead and read some of my other stories (if you truly desire)! My other favorite story I'm working on at the moment is called Alluring Nightmare. It's an AU supernatural story about Amu moving to a town called Seiyo where there are demons, witches, werewolves, etc. I'm also working on a story called Betrayal, which is another angst-like story about Rima joining sides with Easter. I'm going to be starting a new story in a few days as well (even though school starts in a week) called Call Me Crazy. It's going to be about people getting suspicious of those with charas, and thinking that the chara-bearers are insane and schizophrenic with their sudden character changes and such. I'm looking forward to it, and it's going to be another third person story with no specific main character.**

**More importantly, thanks so much everyone! I'm so happy you've all enjoyed. Love you guys! :D. Y'all rock! (yes I just said y'all, and I live in NY…). Also, just a quick question/poll: who do you think the main character of both stories was? I was just curious who you guys thought. I'm tied with 2-3 people, but I'm curious about your opinions :).**


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